Research Team

Research Group Lead

David Malaspina: Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU).  Researcher at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). 

ResearchPublications. Teaching.  Stuff I do for funMy CV.

 

Current Postdocs

Harriet George (2023 – Present):

– Research Topics:  Solar wind interaction with Venus, VLF wave activity in Earth’s radiation belts

– Harriet’s publications via NASA ADS

Current Graduate Students

Benjamin Short (2021-present): 

– Research Topic: Quiescent regions in the near-Sun solar wind and their implications for solar wind evolution. 

Won: NASA FINESST Grant (Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology)

AwardedJohn T. Gosling  Fellowship

Ben’s publications via NASA/ADS

Peter Tatum (2022-present):

– Research Topics: Sounding rocket instrument development, Kinetic Alfvén waves in the near-Sun solar wind with Parker Solar Probe data

Awarded: John T. Gosling Fellowship

Bryce Halter (2023-present):

– Research Topics: Sounding rocket instrument development, Ionospheric density structure and evolution

Current Undergraduate Students

Shivank Chadda (2021-present):

– Research Topic: Interstellar dust flux through the inner heliosphere

Awarded:  CU STEM-Routes research grant

AwardedLASP Charles A. Barth scholarship

Delaney Lee-Bellows (2023-present):

– Research Topic: Low-frequency plasma waves in the Venus induced magnetosphere

Past Research Team Members

Past Postdocs

Xiangning Chu (2018-2020):

– Research topics: Plasma waves at boundaries in the inner magnetosphere, including dipolarization fronts.  Driving of the STEVE auroral form.  Machine learning applied to inner magnetospheric processes.

Xiangning’s publications via NASA/ADS

– Post-group position: Research Scientist at CU/LASP

Daniel Vech (2020-2022):

– Research Topic: Wave-particle interactions in the near-Sun solar wind. Frequency-varying ion acoustic waves near the Earth’s bow shock.  Statistical studies of ion-scale plasma waves in the near-Sun solar wind.

Daniel’s publications via NASA/ADS

– Post-group position: Data Scientist at SFL Scientific – AI Consulting

Past Undergraduate Students

Sydney Furman (2021-2023):

– Research Topic: Current sheets in the near Sun solar wind

Awarded:  CU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant

Sydney’s Honors Thesis

Adel Al’Ghazwi (2021-2023):

– Research Topic: Magnetic signatures of hypervelocity dust impacts on spacecraft

Awarded:  CU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant

– Post-group position: Graduate student at University of Arizona

Alexandru Toma (2022-2023):

– Research Topic: Interplanetary dust variability in the inner heliosphere

– Alex’s Honor Thesis

– Post-group position: Graduate student at Lund University, Sweden

Eleanor Van Etten (2021):

– Research Topic: Machine learning identification of lightning generated whistler mode waves in Earth’s magnetosphere

Anna Pusack (2020-2021, Undergraduate Researcher) (2021-2022, Professional Researcher):

Research Topic: Interplanetary dust populations detected by Parker Solar Probe

Anna’s APS Honors Thesis

Anna’s publications via NASA ADS

Press releases on Anna’s publication (CU, Princeton, NASA/APL)

– Post-group position: Graduate Student at University of California, Berkeley

Rhiannon Larsen (2019, Summer REU):

– Research topic: Interplanetary dust variation in the near-Sun solar wind

– Rhiannon’s AGU presentation!

– Post-group position: Engineering/Physics student at Colorado School of Mines

Shaniya Jarrett (2017, Summer REU):

– Research Topic: Currents and Waves in Earth’s Magnetic Field

– Post-group position: Satellite Test Engineer at General Atomics

Veronica Dike (2016, Summer REU):

– Research Topic: The Influence of Plasmapause Location on Radiation Belt Particle Populations

– Post-group position: Graduate Student at UCLA Astronomy & Astrophysics program

Cory Boule (2015, Summer REU):

– Research Topic: Variation of Whistler-mode Chorus Waves with Solar Wind Driving Conditions

– Post-group position: Cardinal Financial Company

Fredrick Thayer (2014-2015, Undergraduate Researcher):

– Research Topic: Re-interpretation of STEREO dust data based on laboratory dust accelerator testing

Ted’s publication!

– Post-group position: Apollo Flight Labs, developing Jet-Powered Flying Motorcycle

Stephanie Wood (2013, Summer REU):

– Research Topic: Hypervelocity dust impacts on the Wind spacecraft

– Steph’s publication!

– Post-group position: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

Student Engineering Teams

CU Aerospace Engineering Sciences graduate projects class (2018 – 2019) Rapid Active Plasma Sounder Development

 

 

CU Aerospace Engineering Sciences graduate projects class (2017 – 2018)  Rapid Active Plasma Sounder Development

 

 

 

CU Aerospace Engineering Sciences undergraduate projects class (2013 – 2014)  Dust Impact Monitor Instrument Development