Pankaj Kumar

Dr. Pankaj Kumar is a Research Associate Professor at American University and working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). He joined the Space Weather laboratory at NASA GSFC in April 2017 through an appointment to the NASA postdoc program. Prior to this, he held senior research scientist and postdoc positions at Korea Astronomy and Space Science institute (KASI) and spent more than 6 years in South Korea.

Dr. Kumar has more than 15 years research experience in solar physics. His research focusses on the initiation of solar eruptions (CMEs, Jets), magnetic reconnection/particle acceleration in solar flares, and wave/oscillation in solar atmosphere. He has numerous experience in the analysis and interpretation of multiwavelength data from NASA’s missions (SDO, IRIS, STEREO, HINODE, RHESSI, SOHO, PSP etc.). He has contributed to the understanding of flare/CME initiation (filament interaction, loop-loop interaction, kink instability), flux rope formation and eruption, radio and EUV observations of plasmoid formation and ejection in flare current sheet, excitation of slow and fast mode waves in coronal loops, direct imaging of MHD wave mode conversion, origin of quasi-periodic pulsations in solar flares, breakout jets, quasiperiodic reconnection/jets at the base of plumes, origin of solar wind microstreams/switchbacks etc. Dr. Kumar also has experience in the ground based Hα observations of the Sun and has participated in eclipse observations as well. He has served as a potential reviewer for journals (e.g, ApJ, ApJL, A&A, Solar Physics etc.). He is also a member of American Geophysical Union and has been awarded several academic prizes (e.g., research fellowships, KASI best postdoc award, NPP fellowship, NASA HGI/HSR grant, NSF grant, HSD Peer Award, NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal).

Research Interests:

Initiation of solar eruptions (CMEs/Flares, Jets), Particle acceleration, Coronal waves/oscillation, Quasiperiodic pulsations (QPPs) in solar flares, Solar wind microstreams/switchbacks

Analysis/interpretation of multiwavelength data from NASA's missions (SDO, STEREO, RHESSI, Hinode, IRIS, Parker Solar Probe etc.) and ground based telescopes (Hα and Radio observations)

Publications

Ph.D. : Solar Physics, Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital-India, 2011
M.Phil. : Physics, CCS University, Meerut (UP), India, 2006
B.Ed. : Physics and Mathematics, K.V. College Machara, CCS University, Meerut (UP), India, 2005
M.Sc. : Physics, Meerut College, CCS University, Meerut (UP), India, 2004
B.Sc. : Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Meerut College, CCS University, Meerut (UP), India, 2002
 

NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal 2023

NASA HSR (Heliophysics Supporting Research) grant 2023, (Role: Principal Investigator)

NSF SHINE (Solar, Heliospheric, and INterplanetary Environment) research grant 2022 (Role: Principal Investigator)

NASA HSD (Heliophysics Science Division) Peer Award 2021

NASA HGI (Heliophysics Guest Investigators) grant 2018 (Role: Principal Investigator)

NPP (NASA Postdoctoral Program) fellowship 2016

KASI Best Postdoc Award 2013

Postdoctoral Fellowship at Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), Daejeon, Republic of Korea, December 2010-March 2014.

Research Fellowship at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, India, July 2006-December 2010

CSIR-NET (National Eligibility Test 2006)

JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test 2006)