{"id":6479,"date":"2026-11-01T23:25:21","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T23:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/?post_type=interju&p=6479"},"modified":"2026-11-02T07:47:39","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T07:47:39","slug":"krisztian-vida-in-addition-to-curiosity-perseverance-and-an-open-minded-approach-to-methodology-are-the-most-important-qualities","status":"publish","type":"interju","link":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/interju\/krisztian-vida-in-addition-to-curiosity-perseverance-and-an-open-minded-approach-to-methodology-are-the-most-important-qualities\/","title":{"rendered":"Kriszti\u00e1n Vida: “In addition to curiosity, perseverance and an open-minded approach to methodology are the most important qualities\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kriszti\u00e1n Vida is a senior research fellow at the Mikl\u00f3s Konkoly Thege Institute of Astronomy, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences (CSFK). He obtained a degree in astronomy from ELTE, followed by a PhD in 2011. His research focuses on stellar magnetic activity, star spots, flares, activity cycles and coronal mass ejections. In his work, he utilises observations from ground-based and space-based telescopes, as well as machine learning methods. He is involved in the ESA\u2019s (European Space Agency) Ariel and PLATO missions, and is a member of the consortium associated with the Mauve space telescope.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An interview by Zs\u00f3fia S\u00f3dorn\u00e9 Bogn\u00e1r with astronomer Kriszti\u00e1n Vida<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

In the next episode of our interview series, we spoke to Kriszti\u00e1n Vida, astronomer and senior research fellow at HUN-REN CSFK. Kriszti\u00e1n focuses primarily on the magnetic activity of stars, studying the “space weather” around other stars. In 2022, he was awarded a five-year “Frontline” (\u00c9lvonal) grant under the NRDIO Research Excellence Programme. As part of this, he and his research team are investigating how stellar activity affects the exoplanets orbiting specific stars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Could you summarise your current research topic briefly for the general public?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I study the magnetic activity of stars. This includes sunspots, activity cycles, sudden high-energy eruptions \u2013 known as flares \u2013 and coronal mass ejections. These are essentially part of the same set of phenomena that, in the case of the Sun, we know as solar activity and space weather. I am primarily interested in how this “space weather” operates in the vicinity of other stars. A powerful eruption does not only affect the star itself, but can also significantly influence the atmospheres of the planets orbiting it and, consequently, their habitability. This is the question being investigated by my “Frontline” (\u00c9lvonal) research project, which runs from 2022 to 2027. The central theme of the programme is how an active star affects the exoplanets orbiting it, and what the consequences of frequent, high-energy flares might be.<\/p>\n

How does this topic fit in with international research trends?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Research into stellar activity is nowadays increasingly linked to the study of exoplanets. We know of more than 6,000 exoplanets \u2013 it is not enough simply to find a planet similar in size to Earth orbiting at a suitable distance. We also need to understand the radiative and magnetic environment surrounding it. A highly active star can continuously reshape, and in extreme cases even destroy, the planet\u2019s atmosphere. Another important trend is time-series astronomy and the automated processing of large amounts of data. Space telescopes such as Kepler and TESS provide vast, high-precision data sets. Analysing these requires not only traditional methods but also machine learning techniques. In my own research, these two fields converge: we attempt to identify stellar flares from large datasets, and then investigate what effects they might have on the planets orbiting these stars.<\/p>\n

What do you consider your biggest professional success or achievement?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It is difficult to single out just one result. I consider those research projects particularly important where we succeeded in using new methods to answer specific astronomical questions. For example, my colleagues and I developed the FLATW\u2019RM and subsequently the FLATW\u2019RM2 code, which use machine learning and deep learning methods to search for transits in the large datasets from Kepler and TESS. The method not only recognises transits but can also filter out numerous phenomena that would otherwise lead to false positives. Many people cite our article on the study of the Proxima Centauri and TRAPPIST\u20131 systems, in which we demonstrated that frequent, high-energy flares can fundamentally influence the atmospheres and habitability of planets orbiting active stars; as well as our article on the statistical analysis of coronal mass ejections from stars. These results are all based on an earlier study of a dwarf star called V347 Pegasi, during which we (somewhat by chance) searched the archives of various instruments for supplementary data to complement the Hungarian spectroscopic measurements \u2013 and this ultimately led to one of the article\u2019s most interesting findings.<\/p>\n

In your opinion, what personal qualities are the most helpful in research?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to curiosity, perseverance and an open-minded approach to methodology are the most important qualities. In research, we rarely get immediate and clear-cut answers. More often than not, we have to process long data sets, try out new analytical methods, or spend years gathering observations. I also believe it is important not to cling rigidly to the tools we are already accustomed to. A few years ago, machine learning was still considered a relatively new method in this field; today, however, given the volume of data at our disposal, it would be increasingly difficult to work without automated solutions.<\/p>\n

How do you see the chances of Hungarian researchers in the international competition?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

By its very nature, astronomy is an international field of science. Large instruments and space programmes are usually the result of collaboration between several countries; therefore, success is not only determined by the country in which a researcher works \u2013 nowadays, a vast amount of freely available data is at researchers\u2019 disposal. It is at least as important for everyone to have their own, clearly defined area of expertise, up-to-date methodological skills and an active network of international contacts. With their specialist knowledge and well-chosen research topics, Hungarian researchers can make a meaningful contribution even to the largest programmes. A good example of this is Hungarian participation in the work of Ariel, PLATO and other international projects. However, this requires a reliable research environment in the longer term and a predictable career path for young researchers.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to researchers just embarking on their scientific career?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Be open to new methods, and do not be afraid to explore fields that may seem distant at first. In astronomy today, alongside physics, programming, data processing and machine learning are playing an increasingly important role. The community is just as important. It is worth attending summer schools, conferences and international collaborations from a young age, asking questions and sharing your own ideas. At the same time, it doesn\u2019t hurt to have a \u2018Plan B\u2019 alongside your research \u2013 whilst there is a relative abundance of PhD scholarships, there are far fewer postdoctoral posts, and being a good researcher isn\u2019t enough to secure a tenure \u2013 you also need to get lucky. Eventually, your priorities may change, and perhaps you would rather work on something whose practical application seems more immediate, or do something related to your field of expertise that is not basic research \u2013 a change of career should not be seen as a failure.<\/p>\n

Have you ever thought about abandoning your academic career? If yes, what made you think about it?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, there were times when I seriously asked myself whether it was worth carrying on, particularly during the first few years of the incessant restructuring of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences\u2019 (MTA) research network. Wouldn\u2019t it be wiser to become a programmer, a systems administrator or a baker? But a career in research is uncertain even beyond that: there are many fixed-term posts, and the outcome of grant applications is hard to predict \u2013 for example, since 2012, I submitted seven unsuccessful NKFIH\/OTKA applications, two “Momentum” (Lend\u00fclet) applications and three ERC applications before I finally succeeded in securing the current “Frontline” (\u00c9lvonal) grant. In such circumstances, you inevitably begin to wonder whether a more predictable career path might not be a better choice.<\/p>\n

Have you ever found it difficult to balance work and private life? How should one draw the line between the two?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, this does cause difficulties from time to time. One of the characteristics of research work is that it has no natural end point: there is always another analysis to carry out, another paper to revise or another grant application to work on. What\u2019s more, international collaborations, observations and conferences do not necessarily fit in with normal working hours. My most important lesson is that boundaries must be set consciously, because they will not emerge by themselves. It is worth setting aside specific periods in advance for one\u2019s family or for recharging one\u2019s batteries, and you should take these just as seriously as a professional obligation. It also helps a great deal to learn to distinguish between tasks that are genuinely urgent and those that merely appear to be so. In the long run, it is not sustainable to say yes to each and every request; rather, it is more reasonable to ensure that enough time is left for in-depth work, private life and relaxation. Although this is really difficult to achieve, it will make a big difference already if you just make a conscious effort to do so.<\/p>\n

\n

This interview is part of an interview series by the Hungarian Young Academy, titled “Success stories of early-career researchers \u2013 Life paths and achievements”, in which we present the professional and personal journeys, successes, sources of inspiration and challenges of young Hungarian researchers. Click here to read more interviews in the series: https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/interviews\/<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6478,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-6479","interju","type-interju","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/interju\/6479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/interju"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/interju"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fka.mta.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}