Trinity sophomore Phillip Kapoor is making waves in the world of physics with his research on dark matter, a mysterious substance believed to comprise approximately 80% of the universe. Kapoor’s project focused on improving the detection of axions, a leading candidate for dark matter particles, using artificial intelligence.

By generating simulations of axion signals and training a convolutional neural network (CNN) to distinguish them from background noise, Kapoor enhanced the signal detection rate—an essential step in the search for these elusive particles. His innovative work earned top honors at the Louisville Regional Science and Engineering Fair (LRSEF), where he received the Excelling in Math/Statistics Special Award, first place in the Physics and Astronomy category, and Best of Fair in the high school division.

Kapoor’s achievements have secured him a place at the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), set to take place this May in Columbus, Ohio.