About Me...

I am a fifth-year graduate student at the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy.

As an undergrad, I did research into intervening Quasar Absorption Lines, High Velocity
Cloud absorption lines, and Super Star Cluster formation in merging galaxies. As a graduate
student, I have investigated the Sky Plane Density of Main Belt asteroids, built a photodiode
telescope from the ground up to calibrate the IfA's Pan-STARRS telescope's flat-fielding system,
developed a model for fitting images of trailed asteroids using Point Spread Function-fitting
routines, and investigated the efficiency of orbital determination routines that will used as
part of Pan-STARRS's Moving Object Processing System.

For my dissertation, I will study the composition and surface properties of Main Belt
asteroids using light curves and polarized light as a tracer of physical and chemical makeup.
To accomplish this, I will be using images from CFHT as well as images from the UH 2.2 m and
polarized measurements from Subaru and the UH 2.2 m. To this end, I designed and constructed
an imaging polarimeter for the UH 2.2 m, which I commissioned March 2007. For more information
check this webpage: DBIP.


Where is Joe?:

DBIP Remote Observing - Dec 2, 2008
DBIP Remote Observing - Dec 22, 2008
NJ, NY, PA - Dec 24-31, 2008
DBIP Remote Observing - Jan 3-4, 2009
DBIP Remote Observing - Feb 4, 2009


Current Hobbies:

Baking Bread/Cooking
Hiking
Go
Bagpipes
Video Games/Board Games
Travel


Adventures in Hawaii:

Aikido
Snorkeling with Sea Turtles
Body Boarding
Sea Kayaking, and Kayak Surfing
Fire Twirling (aka Fire Poi)
Sailing
Jet Skiing
Nighttime Hikes of Lava Fields
Sky Diving
Surfing
Observing on Mauna Kea and Haleakala
Launching Homemade Multi-stage Model Rockets
Wakeboarding
Traveling to Kauai and Maui with a tent and no plan
Earthquakes
Hiking the Na Pali coast of Kauai

My CV:

Curriculum Vitae (.ps version)

Curriculum Vitae (.pdf version)


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