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Aaron Ridley

Aaron Ridley

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Professor

Contact

(734) 764-5727

Location

1416 Climate & Space Research Building 2455 Hayward Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143

Additional Title(s)

  • Faculty Advisor for College of Engineering Honors Program Concentration: Space Weather

Primary Website

Related links

Education

  • Ph.D., M.S., Atmospheric & Space Sciences, University of Michigan
  • B.S., Physics, Eastern Michigan University

Teaching

I teach a variety of classes including Rocket Science 101, Introduction to Computer Programming (Eng 101), The Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere, NanoSatellite Design, and Space Instrumentation.

Professional Service

Major committee assignments in the Department, College, and/or University

  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Qualification Exam Co-Chair(2012- 2013)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Executive Committee (2011-2013)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Nominations Committee (2012)
  • College of Engineering Commission on Undergraduate Engineering Education (2008-2009)
  • Organization of student labs for the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences
    (2007-2008)
  • Assisted in the creation of a College of Engineering Multidisciplinary Design Minor (2007)
  • College of Engineering Research Strategy Committee (2007)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Information Technology Committee
    (2006-)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Core Curriculum Committee (2006-
    2008)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Awards Committee (2004-2005)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Graduate Committee (2004-2005)
  • Assisted in the restructuring of the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences
    graduate program (2003)
  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Executive Committee (2002-2004)

Administrative duties at U of M

  • Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Undergraduate Advisor (2006-)
  • Faculty advisor for the College of Engineering Honors Program (2012-)

Service to government or professional organizations, and service on review board/study panels

  • Committee on Solar and Space Physics (2012-)
  • CEDAR Science Steering Committee (2012-2015)
  • Secretary for the American Geophysical Union Space Physics and Aeronomy, Magnetospheric Physics section (2010-2012)
  • National Science Foundation Review Board for the High Altitude Observatory (2011)
  • Member of the Steering Group for the European CubeSat mission QB50 (2011)
  • Working group co-chair for the NCAR Community Climate Model (2008-2010)
  • Organization of the ionosphere-thermosphere community to support space-based and ground- based research (2007-2010)
  • NOAA Data Archive Access Requirements Working Group (2006-2007)
  • NASA Sun Solar System Connections Science Data and Computing Working Group (2003-)
  • Geospace Environment Modeling Steering Committee (2002-2006)
  • Co-leader of the international organization ICESTAR (2004)
  • “Geophysics the Future” Working Group for International Union of Geodicy and Geophysics (2002-2003)

Research Interests

  • Magnetosphere – Ionosphere Coupling
  • Thermospheric and Ionosphere Dynamics
  • Modeling of the near-Earth space environment
  • Data assimilation
  • Geospace data analysis
  • Modeling of the near-Earth space environment. I have worked with and have developed many different models of the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere. I am the creator of the Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model, which is a large model that allows us to simulate the near-Earth space environment.  This is basically the region of space in which low-Earth orbiting satellites traverse.  Models such as GITM are used to explore how this environment reacts to energy into from the sun and the aurora.
  • The CYGNSS satellite mission.  I am the Constellation Scientist for CYGNSS, which is launch in October, 2016, and will measure the wind speeds over the oceans in the tropics.  CYGNSS is a constellation of 8 satellites, and is described here.
  • Small satellites. Working with Professor James Cutler, I have won a grant to launch a CubeSat called CADRE, which will measure the state of the upper atmosphere. This satellite will be deployed from the International Space Station in the middle of March, 2016.  I am also PI of a satellite for the QB50 mission, called Atlantis. This satellite will almost measure the upper atmosphere, but with 40 other satellites.

Awards

  • University of Michigans College of Engineering Monroe-Brown Foundation Education Excellence Award, 2012.
  • Journal of Atmospheric and Solar Terrestrial Research, Most Cited Paper 2005-2010.
  • NASA Group Achievement Award, 2006.
  • University of Michigans College of Engineering Outstanding Research Scientist Award, 2004.
  • National Center for Atmospheric Research High Altitude Observatorys Newkirk Fellowship, 1996.

Accomplishments:

  • Principal investigator/Co-Investigator, several research grants, NSF, NASA, NOAA and Department of Defense
  • Author or co-author, 150+ publications in refereed journals
  • Speaker, 200+ scientific lectures/seminars

Publications