Diogo Capelo

PhD Student in Astrophysics

Welcome to my academic website. I am a PhD student in Astrophysics at Instituto Superior Técnico, in Lisboa, using stars as cosmic laboratories to test and probe fundamental Physics. My current research focuses on how to constrain the nature and properties of Dark Matter through its effects in stellar structure and evolution, using theoretical and computational stellar modelling tools. I am passionate about both advancing our knowledge of the universe and making science accessible to everyone.

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Me, 2023. Background is 'Les Nymphéas' by Claude Monet at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris.

Positions

My professional journey in academia and research

2024 - Present

PhD Student

Instituto Superior Técnico, Center for Astrophysics and Gravitation

Working on Dark Matter imprints on stars under the supervision of Ilídio Lopes. Main responsibilities include conducting research on the impact of Dark Matter in stars, and maintaining a MESA module for modelling WIMP Dark Matter impact in stellar structure and evolution.

2022 - 2024

Research Assistant

Instituto Superior Técnico, Center for Astrophysics and Gravitation

Conducted research on solar neutrinos and stellar modelling. Authored one paper and contributed to coding projects.

Education

My academic background and training

2024 - Present

PhD in Physics

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Thesis: "Probing the Nature of Dark Matter With Stars"
Advisor: Ilídio Lopes

2023 - 2024

MSc in Physics Engineering

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Specialization in theoretical physics. Thesis: "Probing the Internal Structure and Evolution of Sun-like Stars with Neutrinos and Asteroseismology"

2005 - 2010

BSc in Physics Engineering

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Teaching

Courses taught and students I have had the privilege to work with

Astrophysics

Teaching Assistant

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Fall 2025

Astrophysics Laboratory

Lab Instructor

Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Fall 2025, Fall 2023

Publications

Selected peer-reviewed papers and preprints

Neutrinos and Asteroseismology of Stars over the Helium Flash

Diogo Capelo, Ilídio Lopes

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 953, Number 2, 165 (2023) | DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ace446

Paper arXiv

The impact of composition choices on solar evolution: age, helio- and asteroseismology, and neutrinos

Diogo Capelo, Ilídio Lopes

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 498, 2 (2020), 1992-2000 | DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa2402

Paper arXiv

Cosmological Implications of Bumblebee Vector Models

Diogo Capelo, Jorge Páramos

Phys. Rev. D 91, 104007 | DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.91.104007

Paper arXiv

Conferences & Talks

Presentations and workshops where I have shared my research

2025

International Conference on Dark Matter and Stars

"Transport by Dark Matter and Stellar Evolution"

Contributed talk | Kingston, Canada | July 2025

2024

Escola de Verão de Astronomia (EVA)

"Linking Classical Mechanics and Gravitation"

Invited talk | Lisboa, Portugal | September 2024

2013

Encontro Nacional de Astronomia e Astrofísica

"Cosmological implications of spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking in the time direction"

Contributed talk | Lisboa, Portugal | July 2013

Outreach