I received my Ph.D. in Applied Physics at Columbia University, focusing on plasma physics. My research concentrated on the turbulence in plasmas confined in dipole magnetic fields, similar to the Earth’s magnetosphere. I studied control of turbulence and showed that by driving currents into the plasma with a feedback system the turbulent spectrum could be strongly modified and even suppressed. I also developed a measurement technique to explore regions of the plasma inaccessible to traditional probes using a high speed camera to image the visible fluctuations around small, inserted particles.

Previous to Columbia, I received my B.S. in physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a minor in mathematics. My undergraduate research involved a numerical analysis of amplified spontaneous emission in fiber amplifiers.

My vocational background from my years at Minuteman Technical High School have helped me throughout my career in science. Training in welding and machining provided mechanical intuition that has been instrumental in much of my experimental work. I’m a big proponent of vocational schools as they provide students a diverse and practical education.