Resume of Scientist/Project Leader

Title
Scientist/Project Leader

Primary Skills
Physicist specializing in optics, especially X-ray optics, and instrumentation for astronomy and space applications.

Location
US-DC-Washington

Posted
Apr-06-07

Skills Profile

Experience Summary
- Physicist specializing in optics, especially X-ray optics, and instrumentation for astronomy and space applications
- Over 17 years experience of scientific and technical R & D
- Able to rapidly learn new systems and contribute quickly to group objectives
- Systems engineering, system specification and design, requirements analysis, specification, and management using software tools
- Successfully worked in both academic and commercial environments

Optics Experience
- Design, research and development, fabrication, calibration, and integration of grazing incidence optics
- Developed and built optics at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center for satellite missions
- Developing multilayer mirrors for high energy X-ray optics for medical, security, and industrial applications

Computer Experience
- Coding languages include Java, C++, FORTRAN, IDL, HTML, Perl
- Object Oriented Analysis and Design, XML, UML, Use Cases
- Proficient with MS applications

Leadership
- Managed development groups and personnel, responsible for scheduling, purchases, reporting results and developments

Communication skills
- Excellent written and presentation skills
- Communicates effectively with both technical and non-specialist audiences

Additional skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Committed and focused worker
- Good organization skills
- Able to prioritize tasks efficiently

Awards
- Two NASA Group Achievement Awards
- Charted Physicist award from Institute of Physics (UK)


Qualifications

- Ph.D., X-ray Optics, University of Leicester, UK, 1988
- B.S. (Hons), Physics, University of Bristol, UK, 1984, 1st Class
- Chartered Physicist with British Institute of Physics


Employment Summary

Since October 2005: Senior Scientist, MXF Technologies Inc., Maryland, USA.
Development of multilayer monochromatic X-ray technology for
* medical imaging
* security scanning
* scientific and industrial applications.
Responsible for
* design, manufacture, and characterization of precision multilayer X-ray optics
* processing and analysis of digital X-ray images using IDL
* system design, and future application concepts and development.

October 2004: Solinca Limited, UK
* Started scientific consultancy in England to research and develop applications of monochromatic X-rays for medical and security applications for MXF Technologies Inc, USA.

August 2002 - June 2003: Principal Systems Engineer, Storm Control Systems Limited, UK
Storm Ltd provides satellite control systems;
* specified customer requirements and designed functionality needed to satisfy these;
* monitored product development; tracked customer requirements using computer-aided tools.
* responsibilities also included understanding product functionality objectives, user interface, and ground support systems and networks.

March 2001 - August 2002: Senior Consultant, e2E Services Limited, UK
e2E Services provide consultancy for cellular/mobile communications and SATCOM applications.
* An assessment of Military Communications Requirements and Cellular Communications Functionality
Evaluated the potential of a commercial cellular-based system (GPRS) to satisfy military requirements.
* Systems Engineer, Inmarsat Satellite broadcasting to cellular phone Inter-working Study
Designed a full object-oriented system to integrate satellite broadcasts with 3rd Generation mobile systems to provide new business, information, and leisure services. Used detailed 3rd Generation cellular (UMTS) and satellite broadcast (DVB) specifications, paying strict attention to security protocols.

Feb 1999 to Feb 2001: Space/Telecomms/IT Technical Consultant, VEGA Group Plc, UK
Projects included:
* Inmarsat (London UK) SafetyNET Maritime Safety Project
Designed, and implemented a safety back-up system for use while the Inmarsat satellite network was being re-configured and satellites moved into new orbits. Skills used - system analysis, solution architecture design, and implementation by software coding in C++.
* Remote sensing mission Envisat: Data visualization/extraction tool
Design, enhancement, and development of an existing data extraction and visualization software application for the European Space Agency remote sensing satellite, Envisat.
* BNSC (British National Space agency) IT/Internet Security Study
Investigated internet and computer security threats and defenses, and software security.
* BNSC (British National Space agency) Future Technology Prototype
Developed a software prototype for the British National Space Centre to harness the potential of emerging technologies for future archives of data derived from spacecraft.

May 1995 to Feb 1999: X-ray astrophysics satellite (XMM), European Space Agency, The Netherlands
Responsibilities included:
* Specification of initial requirements and design for an X-ray science simulator used to assess telescope performance and develop ground support and data analysis systems.
* Development and implementation of the science simulator and analysis software.
* Assessing X-ray targets' visibility for different launch dates and orbital parameters.
* Design and Development of web-based user interfaces for experiment proposals submission and information retrieval by observers utilizing CGI programming with the Perl language


March 1994 - April 1995: Software Engineer, Tessella Support Services, UK
Tasks included:
* Design and implementation of an interface for a particle physics simulator
* Presenting training courses on the PV-WAVE/IDL graphics package

1989 - August 1993 Research Associate, NASA/Goddard Space Center, USA
Part of a team that produced five innovative X-ray telescopes for a joint Japanese/US astrophysical space observatory called ASCA that was launched in 1993. Was awarded two NASA Group Achievement Awards. Main activities included:
* Telescope development and characterization using optical and X-ray test instruments
* Modeling mirror performance using Monte Carlo ray-tracing computer codes
* Calibration of mirrors and detectors both before and post launch
* Investigation of image enhancements with computer restoration techniques
* Project management of mirror production and specialized equipment procurement, requiring scheduling, liaising with sub-contractors, management of technicians, and regular divisional progress briefings
* Definition of mirror calibration requirements, development of test plans, selecting and assessing suitable targets for in-flight performance.
* Supervising students from the University of Maryland working on projects.

Education Summary

1985 - 1988 University of Leicester, U.K.
Ph.D. Thesis: Design and optimization of Large Aperture Thin Foil X-Ray Telescopes
Research and development of novel large aperture X-ray telescopes using mirrors made from thin Aluminum sheet. Specifically, this involved:
* Developing techniques for coating X-ray mirrors to reduce mean surface roughness to ~5 and performing X-ray scattering measurements to assess mirror surface quality.
* Deriving analytical expressions for telescope response and performance and modeling telescope performance.
* Design and analysis of an X-ray telescope system used as basis for a mission proposal.
* Tutoring and leading undergraduate problem classes and supervising undergraduate laboratory classes.

1984 - 1985 University of Bristol, U.K.
Worked in Cosmic Ray Group helping to develop a novel cosmic ray detector

1981 - 1984 University of Bristol, U.K.
B.S Physics. First class awarded. The course covered all fundamental areas of physics including optics, relativity, mechanics, quantum physics, electricity and magnetism, and solid state physics.

Certifications
See above


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