Sciences and Exploration Directorate

James A Klimchuk

(RSCH AST, SOLAR & SOLAR TRSTRL STD)

James A Klimchuk's Contact Card & Information.
Email: james.a.klimchuk@nasa.gov
Phone: 301.286.9060
Org Code: 671
Address:
NASA/GSFC
Mail Code 671
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer:
NASA

Research Interests


Solar Physics

Heliophysics: Solar Atmosphere

Dr. Klimchuk’s research mostly concerns the structure, heating, stability, and dynamics of the outer solar atmosphere, including active regions, loops, prominences, flares, and coronal mass ejections. He places strong emphasis on the important link between theory and observation, using observations to both motivate and test his theoretical ideas. His theoretical work includes analytical modeling and numerical simulation of hydrodynamic and MHD systems. His observational work includes analysis and interpretation of imaging, spectroscopic, and polarimetric data in the soft X-ray, UV, visible, and radio wavebands.

 

Positions/Employment


Research Astrophysicist

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Heliophysics Science Division - Greenbelt, MD

2008 - Present


Affiliate Research Professor

George Mason University, School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Sciences - Fairfax, VA

2007 - Present


Astrophysicist

Naval Research Laboratory, Space Science Division - Washington, DC

1994 - 2008


Senior Research Scientist and Assistant Director

Stanford University, Center for Space Science and Astrophysics - Stanford, CA

1990 - 1994


Research Associate

Stanford University, Center for Space Science and Astrophysics - Stanford, CA

1987 - 1990


National Research Council Cooperative Research Associate

Naval Research Laboratory, Space Science Division - Washington, DC

1985 - 1987


Graduate Research Assistant

National Center for Atmospheric Research, High Altitude Observatory - Boulder, CO

1981 - 1985


Graduate Research Assistant

University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics - Boulder, CO

1979 - 1981

Education


Ph.D. Astrophysics, University of Colorado, 1985
B.A. Physics (magna cum laude), Kalamazoo College, 1979

Professional Service


 American Astronomical Society

   Solar Physics Division (SPD), Chair (05-07), Vice-Chair (04-05, 07-08)

   Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (07-12)

   SPD Committee (95-97, 08-10)

   SPD Nominating Committee, Chair (00-01), member (92-93)

  SPD Annual Meeting Scientific Organizing Committee, Chair (05, 08)   

   SPD Policy and Advocacy Liaison (11-12)

American Geophysical Union

   Space Physics and Aeronomy Section, President (13-15), Pres.-Elect (10-12), Past-Pres.

       (15-16)

   Council Leadership Team (13-15)

   Council (10-15)

   Union Fellows Committee (17-19)

   Mission Alignment Project Team (10-12)

   Scientific Trends Task Force (14)

   Program Committee (04-05, 07-08)

   Space Weather Journal Editor-in-Chief Search Committee (14)

   SPARC Award Selection Committee (12)


International Astronomical Union

   Commission 10 (Solar Activity), President (06-09), Vice-Pres. (03-06), Committee

     (09-12)

   Division II (Sun and Heliosphere), Vice-Pres. (09-12), Committee (06-09)


NASA

   Heliophysics Advisory Committee (HPAC) (17-23)

   Solar and Heliospheric Management Operations Working Group, Chair (10-16),

       Committee (00-01)

   Sun-Earth Connections Advisory Subcommittee (01-04)

   Solar Management Operations Working Group (92-96)

   Sun-Earth Connections Roadmap Committee (99-00)

   Living With a Star TR&T Steering Committee (07)

   Living With a Star Focused Science Team Leader (07-10)

   STEREO Mission Science Definition Team (97-98)

   GSFC Deputy Director's Council on Science (08-10)


NSF

   Astronomy Division Committee of Visitors (07-08)

   National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Modeling and Data Assimilation Site

       Visit Review Team (16)

   NCAR High Altitude Observatory (HAO) External Advisory Committee (12-15)

   NCAR - HAO Site Visit Review Team (11)

   National Optical Astronomy Observatory - National Solar Observatory

       AURA Management Review Committee (06)

Other

   Solar Physics (journal) Advisory Board, Chair (21-present), member (00-present)

Solar Physics (journal) Editor-in-Chief Selection Committee, Chair (21)

   Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research, NJIT, Advisory Committee (15-present)

   National Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (02-03)

   Semi-Annual Coronal Loops Workshop Series, Founder, Steering Committee Chair

       (10-12), Committee (12-15), SOC (02, 04, 07, 09, 11, 22)

   Triennial Earth Sun Summit meeting series, Founder, Co-Chair (15), Committee (18, 22)

   Solar, Helio., and Interplanetary Environment (SHINE) Steering Committee (01-04)

   SHINE Coronal Mass Ejections Working Group, Leader (00-01)

   National Security Space Weather Architecture Study Team, Solar Co-chair (97-99)

   National Space Weather Program Implementation Plan Science Working Group (14)

   SECCHI/STEREO Working Group 1 (CME Initiation), Leader (08)

   SOHO-8, Coronal Heating and Structuring Working Group, Leader (99)

   Newark, California Unified School District Board of Education (93-94)

   Office of Naval Research Space Physics Working Group (92)

   Numerous meeting scientific organizing committees, including Chair (93-present)

   Numerous NASA and NSF Peer Review Panels, including Chair (89-present)

 

Professional Societies


American Astronomical Society and Solar Physics Division

1983 - Present


American Geophysical Union

1990 - Present


International Astronomical Union

1991 - Present


Royal Astronomical Society (Honorary Fellow)

2006 - Present

Awards


Honorary Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (2006)

John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for Space Science (2013)

NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2012)

AGU Honorary Parker Lecture (2021)

NASA Group Silver Achievement Medal, Parker Solar Probe (2019)

NASA Goddard Special Act Individual Award, TESS (2015)

NASA Group Achievement Award, EUNIS (2015)

NASA Goddard Exceptional Achievement Science Team Award, EUNIS (2015)

NASA Goddard Special Act Award, Leadership (2010)

NASA Group Achievement Award, Sun-Earth Con. Roadmap Team (2000)

John W. Firor Publication Award (2023)

Solar Physics Division / AAS Studentship Award (1984)

Hornbeck Prize for Achievement in Advanced Physics (1979)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Prize in Science and Math (1974)

Numerous invited talks and keynote addresses at international conferences

 

Teaching Experience


11 post-docs

10 graduate students (co-advisor)

3 undergraduate students

1 high school student

Principal external examiner for 3 PhD defenses

 

Grants


13 NASA Research and Analysis grants - NASA - Awarded: 0000-00-00


Amount 4.519M


DoD Space Test Program grant - DoD - Awarded: 0000-00-00


Amount 6.180M


2 Naval Research Lab internal grants - NRL - Awarded: 0000-00-00


Amount 2.019M


5 GSFC competed grants - NASA GSFC - Awarded: 0000-00-00


Amount 3.576M

Other Professional Information



Publications


203 papers (148 refereed)

Citations: 12,530 (Google Scholar), 9621 (ADS)

H-index: 59 (Google Scholar), 53 (ADS)

Papers cited > 100 times: 35 (Google Scholar)

Bibliography available upon request