Posted by Pat Zumbusch on Jul 30, 2018
Lightning is a striking phenomenon, brought to southern Arizona by our beloved monsoon. This presentation will start with a brief overview of the physics, terminology, and phenomenology of lightning, expressed through photography.  This will be followed by examples of how we measure lightning, and how the measured information is used to help mitigate its effects on life and property.
 
Biography ~ Ken Cummins, Ph.D.
 
Dr. Ken Cummins received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1978, with an emphasis on digital and statistical signal processing and physiological modeling.  He worked in the neurosciences until 1989, as a research scientist at Stanford Medical Center and then as a staff scientist for Nicolet Instruments. From 1989 until 2005, Ken served as the R&D Manager and chief Scientist for Vaisala’s Thunderstorm Business Unit (formally Global Atmospherics, Inc.), located in Tucson, Arizona. Since retiring from Vaisala in 2005, he has been a Research Professor in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Arizona. He is the author of over 80 scientific papers and holds 9 U.S. patents and many related international patents. He’s a Senior Member of the IEEE and has served on various IEEE and CIGRE Working Groups related to lightning.  Over the last 5 years, Dr. Cummins received three NASA awards for his research activities and for his service on NASA’s Lightning Advisory Panel.
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