Physics, Astrophysics, Space, Modeling, Analysis, Image Processing, Algorithms, Programming

After teaching Astronomy, Physics, and Math, I've created a popular inclass introductory astronomy course and a lab-based online introductory astronomy course. This course is divided into 5 units: Origins of Modern Astronomy, Tools of Modern Astronomy, Solar System, Stellar Properties and Evolution, and Galaxies/Cosmology/Life in the Universe. Many videos used for the online astronomy course are available here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZPxxVlOpz5D9w-bVt6O6Q

Astrophysics and space science research.

Modeling, simulation, and data analysis at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in support of interceptor technology• Developed PallasHFv0, laser cross sections (LCS) with environmental effectsEvolved existing Pallas, which computes LCS, to include first-principle’s transmittance, absorption, emission, backscattering, and turbulence for laser atmospheric propagation. Mostly MATLAB.• Modeling LCS of Complex TargetsStreamlined CAD conversion and improved parallelization. Output to support multiple users interests.Created quality assessment toolbox to verify output.• Conceptualized and Developed Data Analysis Tools for Characterizing Atmospheric EffectsMATLAB suite for Firepond data analysis featuring automated downloading of Weather Underground, NOAA rawinsonde, and Space Weather; modeling solar/lunar position and insolation; atmospheric refraction of endo/exo sources with parallax; transmittance; seeing and Fried’s parameter.• Support to Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) SimulationsCreated MATLAB suite for generating Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) simulations for varied flight tests. • Navy EO/IR Infrared Search and Track StudyMATLAB suite to characterized sensor performance at a user-specified geographic site.• Various Data Analysis and Modeling StudiesSelect bright star intensities for absolute radiance calibration of space/ground infrared sensors.Extracted rocket plume signatures from cluttered backgrounds.Originated a new method for determining for a trajectory the probability of a cloud free line-of-sight.Investigated angle pointing accuracy for model IMU, refraction, and nuances of gnomonic projections.Upgraded the time-dependent platform model to include aspect/roll dependent signatures.• Volunteer Outreach X-Tec 2014 (3rd place); X-Tec 2015 (2nd place); ‘Wow! That’s Engineering’ outreach; Daughter’s and Son’s Days; 65th Annual Open House.

• Developed an algorithm for automatic detection of Residential Space Objects (RSOs) in imagery acquired by the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) aboard the Coriolis satellite.• Provided user-support and software maintenance for Phillips Laboratory EXpert-assisted User Software (PLEXUS), a Graphical User Interface with embedded expert system to model spectral radiance and transmittance for any line-of-sight through the atmosphere.• Space weather studies. Some AGU posters I provided modeling and analysis support for:Marcos F. A., C. S. Lin, M. Noah, W. J. Burke, S. B. Cable, J. O. Wise, E. K. Sutton (2010) Altitude Dependence of Neutral Density Geomagnetic Storm Response, AGU Poster December 2010Lin, C. S., S. B. Cable, E. K. Sutton, F. A. Marcos, C. Huang, D. J. Knipp, D. R. Weimer, M. Noah (2010Neutral Density and Wind Enhancements in the Polar Cap, AGU Poster December 2010

As a research assistant, I used density functional theory models to characterize the properties of novel materials and developed a Monte Carlo model of thin film nanotube field effect transistors in MATLAB.

During my 13 years at Mission Research Corporation I worked on a variety of projects including Small Business for Innovative Research contracts for DoD, DoE, and Dept Ed. as well as longer term modeling and anaysis. The following highlight some of the bigger projects. Our Nashua office had a long list of accomplishments, but they didn't fit the business goals of ATK who purchased MRC and subsequently closed this thriving, dynamic site.• MRC’s PI for NRL Strategic Scene Generation System (SSGM) Phase IV earthlimb, aurora, and space IR background models. Software engineered MDA Battlespace Environments & Signatures Toolkit (BEST). • Performed model development & validation for the AFRL Celestial Background Scene Descriptor (CBSD). CBSD produces IR/VIS background imagery for target detection and tracking algorithm development. Signal processing of IRAS data to get asteroid metrics.• Served as lead architect and developer of the AFRL PLEXUS (Modtran, FASCODE, Mosart, SAMM, SAG, SIG, CBSD) atmospheric effects modeling package.• Developed tools for range to object validation for XSS-10 Microsatellite imagery which served as a basis for a camera matching and machine vision system.• Served as lead architect for Rapid Assessment and Prediction of Target Optical Rendered Signatures (RAPTORS), a high speed, medium fidelity, limited parameter set simulation tool for midcourse IR target detection against celestial & earthlimb backgrounds.• Wrote algorithms for ground processing the AFRL/GSFC Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) Vector Electric Field Instrument (VEFI). The VEFI Team received the Robert H. Goddard Group Achievement Award in June 2009• Real-time weather input to DTRA plume dispersion models.• SBIR Phase I Projects: DoE: PI for fractal analysis of imagery for target detection, object recognition, site evaluation, satellite surveillance. Army: Developed GUI and integrated of a suite of battlefield aerosol models (COMBIC)

Title: Member of the Technical Staff• Performed DoD research with emphasis on development of advanced signal processing algorithms and software for target detection. • Developed algorithms for automated mine detection in satellite imagery to support DARPA and the Intelligent Monitoring System• Developed algorithms for automatic detection of powerlines in SAR and IR/VIS satellite and airborne imagery for a DARPA SBIR. • Acoustic signal processing using chaos and morphology.