Contact info: jnt at uw.edu; 1 (206) 947 2678
Mailing address: DigiPen Institute of Technology, 9931 Willows Rd NE, Redmond, WA 98052

Curriculum Vitae
Publications
Invited Presentations

Overview of Research Interests:
Numerous natural processes drive geophysical electric and magnetic fields. In my research, I study these fields to further our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and space environment. My work has focused on a diverse group of electric and magnetic field sources, including lightning, middle atmospheric discharges, solar-terrestrial effects in the ionosphere and magnetosphere, and sources within the Earth’s crust. I have experience in both experimental techniques and theoretical modeling. This includes designing, building, and testing instrumentation and acquisition systems, analyzing data, and developing numerical simulations. My work plans include projects related to in situ measurements inside and above thunderstorms, ground-based sensing of middle atmospheric discharges that affect the ionosphere, investigating geomagnetic perturbations from dc to low frequency radio bands, and fusing lightning and satellite radiometer data to study tropical cyclones. All of my research plans include opportunities for students to design, build, and test complete sensor systems, as well as analyze data using signal processing techniques.

In addition to geophysics related research, I have worked with DigiPen students to design, build, and test numerous embedded systems platforms, including autonomous robotic toys, human interface devices, and hand-held gaming consoles.

In the News:
No link between earthquakes and solar activity
Earthquake prediction in National Geographic
Loma Prieta earthquake in Susan Hough’s book “Predicting the Unpredictable: The Tumultuous Science of Earthquake Prediction” (see Chpt 10)

Links:
DigiPen Computer Engineering Program
DigiPen: Introduction to Robotics — Robotic Scorpion Project
Bard College: Atmospheric Science
U. Washington: ESS 102 — Space and Space Travel
Student-driven study of urban effects on lightning activity in New York City
Word Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN)