Justin Toller Email & Phone Number

Reno, Nevada, United States

Model the gas transport through glacial firn column samples collected via micro-CT scans by using a variety of computational fluid dynamics software techniques.

Truckee Ca

Support electrical engineering needs throughout company. Design PCB boards using Altium, Eagle and Solidworks. Write code in C++ and Python to program microcontroller boards. Analyze and visualize field data in Python. Design and complete tests to model data collected using exoskeleton devices.

Flagstaff, Arizona Area

Explored and analyzed high dimensional data using machine learning algorithms in order to characterize the microbiome of the lung. Identified microbial biomarkers for lung cancer in comparing to healthy donor.We specifically worked on analyzing and modeling the microbiome sequencing data collected from lungs of people who had either no cancer or lung cancer. We employed various machine learning algorithms to explore these high dimensional data sets, such as dimension reduction, community detection and sensitivity detection. We identified various biomarkers within the lung that may indicate environmental favorability for lung cancer patients. During this time, I learned an enormous amount about applications of linear algebra, computer programming, and research in the world of bioinformatics. With this experience I feel far more capable with computer programming and am quite excited to learn more as a result.

Studied and refined methods used to deposit mono-layers of micro-spheres onto solid substrates using a Langmuir- Blodgett Method. Optimized deposition parameters and trained undergraduate and graduate students on method. (Paper recently published to Advanced Materials)I really enjoyed working with my hands in a lab and learning how to operate some of the equipment which is something I greatly hope to be able to do again in the future with applications to astronomy. I was responsible for learning how to use a Langmuir-Blodgett Trough to deposit a monolayer of silicon microspheres on a solid substrate. This was the first step in creating 3D chiral nanomaterials for a variety of experiments done by Dr. Gibbs and various graduate students working there.

Sent daily observation requests to UKIRT telescope in order to rapidly observe and characterize NEO's spectroscopic properties. Contributed to and attended weekly meetings of research group. (Paper underway 2019)The second project I worked on was aimed at characterizing the spectral properties of near Earth asteroids to create a taxonomic understanding of these objects origins. Working with multiple mentors I submitted daily observation lists of Near Earth Asteroids to the UKIRT telescope for two years. Using a pipeline developed in Python, I helped organize and process some of the data taken in previous years. I was a part of a very active research group in which ten of us would meet to discuss various aspects of the research concerning recent developments in the individual aspects of our projects. During this time, I deepened my understanding of how solar system science is done, refined my skills in Python and grew as a group collaborator.

Composed and executed public lectures intended to engage, captivate and communicate modern scientific knowledge in the realms of Physics, Astronomy and much more. In this position I operated telescopes, shared stories about the night sky and performed live scientific experiments for people of all ages and knowledge backgrounds.

This was a temporary internship where I got the opportunity to learn from a scientist at Lowell Observatory. First I composed SQL code capable of querying SDSS database and extract large data sets of quasars and galaxies. Then compose code using Python capable of identifying coordinate matches between QSO’s and galaxies.My goal was to characterize the environments of quasars and quasar pairs with a redshift ranging from 0.4 to 0.7 by using Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. We began with a data set of quasars and a secondary data set of non-AGN galaxies. After spending weeks teaching myself Python, we compared the spatial coordinates of the two galaxy types in effort to find a correlation in the galaxy population abundance and the presence of quasars. We found evidence of both a population abundance and population disparity among the quasars sampled and were thus unable to extrapolate any statistically meaningful insights from our data. Obtaining a null result for my first research project was simultaneously valuable and disappointing but also served to stoke my curiosity and determination.

Masters Of Science - Ms Geophysics, Geophysics

Bachelor'S Of Science, Physics And Astronomy