Field and Lab Work
Magnetic and Radar Sounding
In May 2025, I participated in magnetic and ground penetrating radar field work with the LRO Mini-RF Team in the San Francisco volcanic field and at Meteor Crater in Arizona. This campaign focused on collecting terrestrial analog measurements relevant to planetary radar interpretation and understanding how magnetic and radar signatures respond to volcanic and impact-related geologic environments. Below is an interactive figure from a select set of magnetometer collections from this campaign.
Magnetics Testing Facility and Magnetometer Field Testing
From 2023 to 2025, I managed the Magnetics Testing Facility at JHU/APL which consists of a shed housing 2-meter Helmholtz coils, situated in a remote field on campus to minimize magnetic perturbations. The MTF was the testbed for the Lunar Vertex gradiometry concept and supports development of other novel instrument designs. I maintained the coils, power supplies, Overhauser magnetometer, and degaussing equipment and I acquired two new science-grade vector magnetometers for coil calibrations and field testing.
Spacecraft and Instrument Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVAC) Testing
While at APL, I supported TVAC test campaigns of the Europa Imaging System (EIS) Wide Angle Camera and Narrow Angle Camera which are now flying on Europa Clipper, thermal cycle testing of the Lunar Vertex magnetometer suites, and integrated TVAC of the Lunar Vertex MAPP-C rover. Below is the rover with the Vector Magnetometer instrument mounted to the top deck.
Electromagnetic Sounding
During Fall 2018, I carried out electrical resistivity tomography field work in Lexington, Kentucky as part of
EES-550 Fundamental Geophysics at the University of Kentucky. This work focused on learning and applying near-surface geophysical methods in the field, collecting data, and interpreting how subsurface structure can be inferred from electromagnetic responses.Gravimetry
Also in Fall 2018, I conducted gravimetry surveys in Lexington, Kentucky through
EES-395 Special Topics in Geology: Gravity and Magnetics at the University of Kentucky. These surveys emphasized field acquisition, reduction, and interpretation of gravity data to investigate density contrasts and local geologic structure.Exoplanet Light Curves and Lunar Spectroscopy
In Fall 2017, I performed exoplanet light curve observations and lunar spectroscopic observations in Lexington, Kentucky for
PHY-395 Independent Work in Physics at the University of Kentucky MacAdam Student Observatory. This work involved telescope maintenance, time-series photometry, and spectroscopic data collection to study both extrasolar planetary systems and the Moon. Exoplanet light curves collected during the semester were logged as part of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP). Below is a light curve we collected for exoplanet HD-189733-b.