I am a physicist formerly employed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where I started in January, 1981 and retired in November, 2008. My main professional interests have been in astronomy, astrophysics, and atmospheric physics. During my 11 years in the radio astronomy group at JPL, I gained experience creating chemical and radiative transfer models of the outer planet atmospheres, as well as the Jovian plasma environment, and in making radioastronomical observations using the facilites of the Deep Space Network. From 1994 through January, 2002, I worked in the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) project, in charge of developing algorithms for applying atmospheric corrections onto spaceborne infrared images, using the MODTRAN radiative transfer package as a kernel. As of January, 2002, I have moved to the Center for Long Wavelength Astrophysics at JPL. We have been preparing for the launch of the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST; formerly known as SIRTF). Since the launch in August of 2003, we have been involved in developing techniques for enhanced resolution of images from the IRAC & MIPS instruments, assissting astronomers with image analysis, and in preparing for proposal submission deadlines.

My main personal interests are astronomy, chess, languages and linguistics. I also like to read military history. I spent one tour in the USAF Security Service. I have B.S. (1978) and M.S. (1985) degrees in physics, and graduated from the Defence Language Institute (1972). The table entries below will provide you with all you ever wanted to know about me.

Mars Attacks won the Best Industrial Team trophy at the 1998 US Amateur Team Championship West. Unfortunately, we haven't won any trophies since then, especially since we are no longer an "industrial" team (you need 3 on a team of 4 from the same employer to be "industrial"). But we have played every year since then, scoring 3œ-1œ in 1998, and 4-2 in 1999, 2000 & 2001. In 2001 we were 4-1 going into the 6th and final round, missing out on 3rd place when were were unable to fend off "Hugo's Heros Part III", the 9th rated team. We lost to them and to the top rated team "Chesstosterone", led by International Master Jack Peters, but we turned the lights out on the number 2 team "Who Turned Out the Lights", winning our match by 3œ-œ. What will happen in 2002? P.S. What happened in 2002 is that we did not play. Board two Larry Stevens had the temerity to get married on tournament day, and use board one Rick Borgen for best man!

Mars Attacks Wins Again!, another Best Industrial Team trophy, in the 2003 USATW, edging out Alondra Park Shipin Mates on tie-break points.