Escape to Alaska - 6 December 2016
The U.S. state of Alaska is an incredible natural laboratory to observe a wide range of bizarre atmospheric phenomena and spectacular auroras. Escape to Alaska with Dr. Robert (Bob) McCoy on Tuesday, 6 December 2016 for a free public lecture on research and operations at the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Escape to Alaska:
Research and Operations at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
FREE Public Lecture
ETH Zurich, Focus Terra - NO Building, Room C44
Sonneggstrasse 5, 8092 Zurich
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
external page Registration requested
Agenda
17:15
Dr. Jérõme Noir, Lecturer, Institute for Geophysics, ETH Zurich
17:30
Dr. Robert McCoy, Director, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
18:15
Close of event
Lecture abstract
With more than 40,000 earthquakes each year, volcanic eruptions every three months, more than 100,000 glaciers, the U.S. state of Alaska is an incredible natural laboratory of unique and bizarre atmospheric phenomena and spectacular auroras. The Geophysical Institute (GI) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) observes a wide range of geophysical phenomena. The institute was created, by an act of the U.S. Congress at the end of World War II, to study the aurora and ionospheric effects on communication and navigation systems in the subarctic. The GI has since branched out to include research programs in: volcanology; seismology; tsunami modeling; tectonics and sedimentation; atmospheric science; snow, ice and permafrost; remote sensing; and space physics and aeronomy.
With 375 professors, staff and students the GI performs research into all of these phenomena, but is also home to several operational programs including: the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), the Alaska Earthquake Center (AEC), the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF), the Wilson Alaska Technical Center (WATC), the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft System Integration (ACUASI), the Poker Flat Research Range (PFRR), and the High frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP). Exploiting its high geographic latitude the GI downlinks data from polar orbiting synthetic aperture radar satellites and has the only university owned sounding rocket range to launch rockets through the aurora and out onto the polar cap. The GI recently acquired the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center (ARSC), a former U.S. Department of Defense High Performance Computer and the Geographic Information Network for Alaska (GINA) which generates high resolution maps of Alaska from satellite data.
Dr. Robert (Bob) McCoy, Director of the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will present current research, operations and new initiatives at the GI, as well as, share what it is like to live and perform research in the Arctic.
Speaker biography
Since 2011, Robert McCoy has been the Director of the GI where he manages ~400 scientists, staff, and students who perform research in disciplines including: volcanology; seismology, snow, ice and permafrost; tectonics and sedimentation; remote sensing; atmospheric science; and space physics and aeronomy.
Prior to coming to Alaska, McCoy worked as a space scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and a program officer at the Office Naval Research (ONR). At NRL he was principal investigator for 23 sounding rocket, satellite and International Space Station experiments to study the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. At ONR he managed the Navy’s space research program and the Tactical Space Innovative Naval Prototype program and he sponsored more than 20 space experiments.
McCoy helped to create the Space Weather Science and Technology Activities Commission (STAC) Committee for the American Meteorological Society (AMS). He is a Fellow of the AMS and he was awarded the Rotary International Stellar Prize for Space Achievement and the NRL 75th Anniversary Innovator Award. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Alaska Aerospace Corporation.