Patrick Ponsardin Email & Phone Number

Albuquerque, New Mexico Area

Currently leading the design, build and testing of various S3 laser-based remote sensors. These include UV Raman standoff sensors for surface chemicals detection & identification, and compact eye-safe aerosol lidars. The Real-time Eye-safe Visualization, Evaluation and Analysis Lidar (REVEAL) provides the capability of mapping airborne aerosols and deriving 2 dimensional (2D) wind fields over 5 km standoff ranges in real time.

Albuquerque, New Mexico Area

Developed comprehensive performance models and simulations of high-concentration photovoltaic systems for Emcore's utility-scale solar energy production (now SolAero and Suncore Photovoltaics). These models aggregated various performance analysis tools such as radiative transfer, ray tracing and SPICE simulation. Supported the manufacturing team by providing detailed tolerance analyses and error budget allocations analyses for the various opto-mechanical assemblies. Managed and led the design, development and prototyping of a state-of-the-art ultra-thin concentrating photovoltaic module. This included numerous interactions with the manufacturing team to develop and optimize the required surface-mount technology (SMT) processes.

Albuquerque, Nm

Managed several product development programs for Government customers. Participated in all phases of the projects lifecycle, from proposals and project planning to project closeout. Successfully controlled the cost, schedule and quality of the technical performance. Led program reviews with customers and managed project risks. Lead Systems Engineer on several Lidar and Raman Sensors product development programs, from proof of concept prototypes to operational systems. Led multi-disciplinary teams (EE, ME, SW, OE) to design, develop, test and deliver these systems. Conducted performance analysis, trade studies and design of various electro-optical systems.

Madison, Wi

Within the lidar group at the Space Science and Engineering Center, I conducted the initial optical design and analysis of an autonomous High-Spectral-Resolution-Lidar for long-term unattended observation of Arctic clouds and hazes. Among other design features, the system had a transceiver switch for stable transmit/receive alignment , a pressure-tuned high-resolution Fabry-Perot étalon filter for daylight operation and an Iodine blocking filter to separate the molecular and elastic backscatter lidar returns.

Hampton, Va

Among a multiplicity of projects, headed an experimental study to provide the key spectroscopic database for the LASE project (NASA’s first autonomous airborne H2O Lidar). Defined the required measurements, the experimental setup & process, developed the data acquisition computer code, collected and finally reduced the data. The results of this work were submitted for publication in a scientific journal. This unique set of laboratory measurements remains, so far, the only extensive characterization of the spectroscopic H2O line parameters in this spectral region and was included in the HITRAN database.

Dea

Master