M. Joan Alexander Sr. Research Scientist

Publications - Research - Field Campaigns - Vitae - Miscellaneous - Contact

Education:

• University of Colorado, Boulder, Ph.D. (1992) Astrophysical, Planetary & Atmospheric Sciences
• University of Colorado, Boulder, M.S. (1989) Astrophysical, Planetary & Atmospheric Sciences
• Purdue University, Indiana, B.S. (1981) Chemistry

Experience:

• 1998-present: NorthWest Research Associates, Senior Research Scientist (since 2003), Management Boulder Office (since 2006), Board of Directors (since 2012), and Vice President (since 2013).
• 1994-1998: Research Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Atmospheric Sciences.
• 1992-1994: Postdoctoral Faculty, University of Washington, Atmospheric Sciences.
• 1987-1992: Research Assistant, LASP, University of Colorado at Boulder.
• 1984-1987: Materials Engineer, Martin Marietta Aerospace Corp., Denver, Colorado.
• 1982-1984: Polymer Applications Chemist, Great Lakes Chemical Co., W. Lafayette, IN.
• 1981-1982: Process Engineer, Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, California.

Teaching Activities/Awards:

• Affiliate Professor, Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, 2003-present.
• Lecturer, Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, 1999-2003.
• Affiliate Professor, University of Washington, Atmospheric Sciences, 1998-2011.
• Southgate Fellowship, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, November-December 2017.
• Lecturer, Training School on Stratosphere-Troposphere Interactions, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, September 2017.
• Visiting Professor, L'Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France, February-March 2017.
• Visiting Professor, L'Ecole Normal Superieure, Paris, France, January-February 2011.
• Lecturer, Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute, School on Chemistry and Dynamics of the Upper Atmosphere, San Juan, Argentina, 2010.
• Marie Tharp Fellow, Columbia University, New York, 2006-2007.
• Guest Lecturer, Cambridge Summer School on Geophysical and Environmental Fluid Dynamics, 2003.
• Coupling, Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) Tutorial Lecturer 2002.
• Annual Teaching Award, University of Washington, Atmospheric Sciences, 1998.

Scholarly Awards and Leadership Activities:

• American Meteorological Society Council, 2021-present.
• Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, 2017.
• Advisory Board, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling (ACOM) Laboratory, 2015-2017.
• Co-Chair, World Climate Research Programme's (WCRP) SPARC Project (Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate), 2013-2015.
• WCRP Modeling Advisory Council, 2013-2015.
• WCRP/SPARC Scientific Steering Group, 2012-2015.
• WCRP/SPARC, Gravity Wave Activity Leader 2008-2019.
• Associate Editor, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 2010-2019.
• Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, 2006.
• Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate, National Research Council of the National Academies, 2005-2008.
• Chair, Review Committee for the Climate Change Science Program Synthesis and Assessment Product 2.4: Trends in Emissions of Ozone Depleting Substances, Ozone Layer Recovery, and Implications for Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure, 2007.
• President, American Geophysical Union Atmospheric Sciences Section, 2004-2006.
• Vice-President, American Geophysical Union Atmospheric Sciences Section, 2002-2004.
• Council, American Geophysical Union Atmospheric Sciences Section, 2002-2006.
• Bjerknes Lecturer, American Geophysical Union, 2000.
• International Space Science Institute Team Leader, 2009-2011, 2012-2014, 2019-2021.
• American Meteorological Society, Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics Committee, 2007-2012.
• Climate and Weather of the Sun Earth System (CAWSES), Atmospheric Coupling Processes Theme Chair, 2004-2009.
• Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP), Scientific Discipline Representative, 2008-2015.
• Public Information Committee, American Geophysical Union Atmospheric Sciences Section, 2002-2004.
• American Meteorological Society, Committee on the Middle Atmosphere, 1998-2001.
• Secretary, International Commission for Dynamical Meteorology, IAMAS, 1999-2003.

Science Teams and International Field Campaigns:

• Strateole-2 US Science Team, 2017-present.
• Aura Satellite Science Team, 2008-2020.
• Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment (ATTREX) Science Team, 2010-2015.
• High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) on Aura, Science Team, 1998-2013.
• Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) Satellite Science Team, 2003-2014.
• Co-Investigator, Microwave Temperature Profiler instrument: Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-4) 2001; Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers (CRYSTAL-FACE) 2002; and Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes (TCSP) 2005.
• Tropical Warm Pool - International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) Participant, 2006.
• Darwin Area Wave Experiment (DAWEX) Participant, 2001.
• POLARIS Observational Field Campaign Team Member, 1997.
• STERAO Observational Field Campaign, Auxiliary Investigator, 1996.

Current Research Interests:

• The focus of my research is on atmospheric waves and both global and mesoscale dynamics surrounding deep convection, mountains, and the jet stream. My work involves both observational analyses and theoretical modeling to better understand the properties of atmospheric waves, their sources, and their many effects in the atmosphere. These include effects on general circulation and climate, cloud interactions, and weather processes. The motivation for the work is to improve our ability to model weather and climate for forecasting and prediction, particularly at intraseasonal to interannual timescales. Observation techniques include long-duration isopycnic balloon measurements, satellite remote sensing, balloon-borne radiosonde observations, aircraft observations, and ground-based airglow imaging techniques. The theoretical models focus on the dynamics and thermodynamics of storms and precipitation, wave propagation and wave interactions with the background atmosphere, and the global circulation and temperature structure of the atmosphere from the surface to the thermosphere.