Ramón E. López
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ramón E. López is a Space Physicist and author, who played an instrumental role in the implementation of a hands-on science program in elementary and middle grades Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland. López, who leads a research group that is working in both space physics and science education, is the co-author of a book on space weather titled Storms from the Sun which discussed the magnetic properties of the sun, solar wind, and how these effect the magnetosphere of earth. López is the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Nicholson Medal for Human Outreach which recognizes the humanitarian aspect of physics and physicists.
parents. His father was a United States Army
officer and surgeon and his mother an elementary school teacher. When he was a child his father gave him a telescope as a birthday present, and the Apollo 11
moon landing on July 20, 1969 inspired him to seek an education in the field of Space Physics. When he was in sixth grade, his father retired from the military and his family moved to Freeport, Illinois
, where his father set up his private medical practice. Years later, the family moved outside the town and he went to Pearl City High School. There his science teacher, who also served as an influential factor in his decision to become a scientist, taught him to do a small amount of computer programming.
in Houston as a student in the Department of Space Physics and Astronomy. In 1984 he earned his Master's and in 1986 a Ph.D.
in Space physics
(also known as space plasma physics). López worked as a scientist for the Applied Research Corporation (on contract to the Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory) from 1985 to 1992.
at College Park and served in the following positions: Research Associate Department of Astronomy (92-93), Assistant Director for Research East-West Space Science Center (93-94) and Associate Research Scientist Department of Astronomy (93-99). He worked very closely with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland to help implement a hands-on science program in elementary and middle grades.
López served as Director of Education and Outreach Programs of The American Physical Society from 1993–1999 and became the Chair of the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at El Paso
. In 2002, he was awarded the Nicholson Medal for Humanitarian Service to Science. In 2003, he was co-Organizner of the Introductory Calculus-Based Physics Course Conference, sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers. He is also the Co-Director for Diversity for the Center for Integrated Space weather Modeling (CISM), a Science and Technology Center funded by the National Science Foundation. In 2004, he moved to the Florida Institute of Technology
Dept. of Physics and Space Sciences and moved to the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2007.
Early years
López was born in Illinois to Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
parents. His father was a United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer and surgeon and his mother an elementary school teacher. When he was a child his father gave him a telescope as a birthday present, and the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
moon landing on July 20, 1969 inspired him to seek an education in the field of Space Physics. When he was in sixth grade, his father retired from the military and his family moved to Freeport, Illinois
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
, where his father set up his private medical practice. Years later, the family moved outside the town and he went to Pearl City High School. There his science teacher, who also served as an influential factor in his decision to become a scientist, taught him to do a small amount of computer programming.
Education
López entered the University of Illinois where in 1976, and earned a B.A. in Physics in 1980. As a student he worked in the Physics Department preparing demonstrations and also wrote articles for the institution's newspaper. He was awarded a National Science Foundation minority graduate fellowship which he used to attend Rice UniversityRice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Houston as a student in the Department of Space Physics and Astronomy. In 1984 he earned his Master's and in 1986 a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Space physics
Space physics
Space physics, also known as space plasma physics, is the study of plasmas as they occur naturally in the universe. As such, it encompasses a far-ranging number of topics, including the sun, solar wind, planetary magnetospheres and ionospheres, auroras, cosmic rays, and synchrotron radiation...
(also known as space plasma physics). López worked as a scientist for the Applied Research Corporation (on contract to the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
Applied Physics Laboratory) from 1985 to 1992.
Academic career
In 1992, López went to work for the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
at College Park and served in the following positions: Research Associate Department of Astronomy (92-93), Assistant Director for Research East-West Space Science Center (93-94) and Associate Research Scientist Department of Astronomy (93-99). He worked very closely with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland to help implement a hands-on science program in elementary and middle grades.
López served as Director of Education and Outreach Programs of The American Physical Society from 1993–1999 and became the Chair of the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
. In 2002, he was awarded the Nicholson Medal for Humanitarian Service to Science. In 2003, he was co-Organizner of the Introductory Calculus-Based Physics Course Conference, sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers. He is also the Co-Director for Diversity for the Center for Integrated Space weather Modeling (CISM), a Science and Technology Center funded by the National Science Foundation. In 2004, he moved to the Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is an independent private technical research university located in Melbourne, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum...
Dept. of Physics and Space Sciences and moved to the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2007.
Space Research
López's research focuses on solar wind-magnetosphere coupling, magnetospheric storms and substorms, and space weather prediction. He has worked extensively on magnetospheric substorms, which are the episodic release of energy extracted from the solar wind and stored in the geomagnetic tail. His research studied the magnetic properties of the sun and solar wind and how these effect the magnetosphere of earth. He leads a research group that is working in both space physics and science education. In 2002 López and Michael Carolwicz co-authored a popular book on space weather titled Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather with Michael Carolwicz.Scientific publications
Among the published works in which López has participated are the following:- "Predicting magnetopause crossings at geosynchronous orbit during the Halloween storms, Space Weather, 5, S01005, doi:10.1029/2006SW000222."; 2007; López, R. E., S. Hernandez, M. Wiltberger, C.-L. Huang, E. L. Kepko, H. Spence, C. C. Goodrich, and J. G. Lyon.
- "Using Space Physics in Undergraduate Electromagnetism Courses", 2007; López, R. E.
- "Active Learning for Advanced Students: The Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling Graduate Summer School"; 2007; López, R. E. and N. A. Gross; doi:10.1016/j.asr.2007.06.056.
- "Field-Aligned Currents in the Polar Cap during Saturation of the Polar Cap Potential", J. Atmos. Sol. Terr. Phys.; López, R. E., S. Hernandez, K. Hallman, R. Valenzuela, J. Seiler, P. Anderson, and M. Hairston (2007).
- "An explanation for the saturation of the transpolar potential", submitted to J. Geophys; Hernandez, S., R. E. López, M. Wiltberger and J. G. Lyon (2007).
Written work
Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather; by Michael J. Carlowicz and Ramón E. López; ISBN 9780309076425.Professional affiliations and memberships
López is a member of the following:.- American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- American Physical Society (APS)
- National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP)
- Soc. for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Currently
López is currently a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. López is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors