Tamitha Mulligan Skov, Ph.D.
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy, Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California,
Los Angeles, 2002
Dissertation: “The Three-Dimensional Structure and Solar Origins of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections”
Master of Science, Geophysics and Space Plasma Physics, UCLA 2000
Bachelor of Science, Physics, UCLA, 1996 (with honors)
Bachelor of Science, Physical Chemistry, UCLA, 1996
EXPERIENCE
Research Scientist, The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, 2004-present
Applied Research and Industry Contributions:
• Analysis of Sun, Earth, and planetary radiation environments in academia and applied environments for the National Security Space (NSS) Interest
• Team Lead on Air Force Space Weather Follow-on Architecture Studies and Aerospace review panels, briefed Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD/ OSD CAPE
• Led or co-led tiger team, satellite anomaly, and CONOPS investigations for civil and commercial missions (e.g. NOAA GOES-N/P, NASA programs Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter radiation environment analysis, Hubble Space Telescope deorbiting) and NSS missions
• Subject matter expert on independent review teams (IRTs) for GOES-R spacecraft instrument hardware development through Critical Design Review, PLT/PLPT product readiness activities planning (EXIS, SEISS, ABI)
• Authored over 50 scientific and technical publications Teaching and development of curricular materials:
• Space Environment Course (and tutorials) for: (1) The Aerospace Institute, January 2010-2012. (2) Aerospace Board of Trustees, June 2012. (3) Aerospace Student Intern Class 2012 (both graduate and undergraduate level science and engineering students).
• Space-physics signal processing in forensic science for the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) supported by the National Institute of Justice. Co-wrote and taught “Digital Enhancement of Audio Sources for Law Enforcement” POST certified forensics course to FBI, Law Enforcement, Inspector Generals, and Department of Corrections, 2004-2007.
Adjunct Professor, Millersville University, Department of Earth Sciences, 2019-present Graduate Curriculum Professor:
• Author and instructor of record for Space Weather Environment (SWEN) 571 and 572, two core-competency courses in the SWEN graduate certificate program.
• Served as graduate advisor for multiple undergrad and graduate students, including one who obtained M.S. in space weather national policy and citizen science in 2019.
“Space Weather Woman” Broadcast Meteorologist, Beyond Space, CA, 2014- present Television Appearances:
• The History Channel, “Doomsday” Series, “Episode 4: Solar Storm,”
• The Weather Channel “Secrets of the Earth” Series Episodes “Strange Skies” and “The Birth and Death of the Planet”,
• CBS News satellite interview,
• Live appearance on NASA TV “Eclipse across America 2017,”
• Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum NASA TV broadcast, “SUN 360: Our Solar System’s Space Weather Watchdog,”
• REN-TV (Russian state owned News network) space weather forecast during 2017 hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Additional Education and Public Outreach Contributions:
• Numerous print media feature-length interviews, most notably: Popular Science, “The Fault in Our Star” (print edition) and MIT Technology Review, “Space weather affects your daily life. It’s time to start paying attention.”
• Weekly Space Weather News forecasting and content provider:
— Creator of broadcast-quality Space Weather forecast video productions for weekly (ongoing) internet news shows including “Ham Nation” on TWiT TV, and “Space News” on TMRO, as well as “Solar Storm Forecasts” and “Space Weather News” on Space Weather Woman You Tube Channel.
— Tailored Space Weather forecasting and analysis for over 90,000 subscribers on social media including NASA astronauts, emergency radio communication agencies (e.g. FEMA, Red Cross, RACES, ARES), National and International Space Weather Agencies, GPS industry (including drone pilots and precision agriculture), national and international aviation and air traffic control agencies, satellite operators, military field deployment agencies, aurora tourism industry, amateur radio
• Live broadcasting experience with real-time updates of space weather information on The Weather Channel, You Tube, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.
• Live webinar-style online Space Weather classes for the non-expert (list with internet links to past live classes available upon request)
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Selected Committee Leadership and Technical Service
• AMS Committee Leader ad-hoc Space Weather CCM committee, 2017-present
• Team Leader for Air Force SBEM Analysis of Alternatives, 2013
• Team Leader for Iridium-Next Space Weather Architecture, 2012
• GOES-R IIRT instrument suite design review team, 2007- 2011
• Aerospace IR&D Review Team Leader, 2007, 2010
• Tiger Team, GOES-N/P SXI Entrance Filter and CCD Anomalies, 2007, 2008
• Review Team (IIRT), GOES-N/P SXI Corrective Action, 2007
• Tiger Team, IRIDIUM Space Radiation Assessment, 2006
• Session Chair, American Geophysical Union, 2006, 2009
Reviewer for Professional Journals
• Planetary and Space Science
• Journal of Geophysical Research
• Geophysical Research Letters
• Journal of Atmospheric and Solar Terrestrial Physics
• Annales Geophysicae Reviewer for Research Proposals
• NASA Space Science and the Sun-Earth Connection Research Opportunities
• NSF Solar Heliospheric and Interplanetary Environment Opportunities Professional Affiliations
• Member, American Meteorological Society, 2016 – present
• Member, American Geophysical Union, 1996 – present
• Member, Audio Engineering Society, 2005 – 2013
• Member, American Astronautical Society, 2002 – 2004
• Member, American Astronomical Society, 1999 – 2000
Research Grants
• Principal Investigator of NASA Grant NNX17AB73G, “The Relationship Between Stealth CMEs and Coronal Holes: Origin, Interaction, and Geoeffectiveness” $285,000, 2017- 2021.
HONORS AND AWARDS
• Technical Achievement Award, Hamvention, 2021
• Award of Appreciation, Committee to Explore Space Weather Consulting, AMS, 2020
• Davey Award for NASA TV, Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, 2019
• GOES-R Readiness, Aerospace Civil Weather Systems Program Office, 2018
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Los Angeles, 2018
• NASA, Total Solar Eclipse Live Broadcast, 2017
• Satellite Educators Association Certificate, 2016
• Outstanding Scientific Journal Referee, Annales Geophysicae, 2007
• Top 40 Under 40, San Fernando Business Journal, 2004
• TAP Award for Excellence, Northrop Grumman, 2003
• Institute of Geophysics & Planetary Physics Student Research Fellowships, 1997-2001
• NASA Space Grant, University of California Los Angeles, 1996, 1997
SELECTED INVITED TALKS 2019-2021 (complete list upon request)
• (Award Keynote) T. Skov, “The Rise to Solar Cycle 25 Maximum—A Personal Journey,” Hamvention Virtual Forum, May 2021.
• (Invited Tutorial) T. Skov, “Space Weather in Our Modern World,” IEEE, Tech Talk Seattle Division, February, 2021.
• (Keynote) T. Skov, “Space Weather for the Modern Meteorologist,” North Eastern Storm Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY, March 2020.
• (Keynote) T. Skov, “Forecasting Solar Cycle 25 for Radio Propagation,” PAPA Repeater Network, Los Angeles, CA, June 2020.
• (Training Seminar) T.Skov, “Space Weather Impacts on Radio Propagation and Emergency Response,” Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Nevada Chapter, February 2020.
• (Training Seminar) T.Skov, “Space Weather and the National Air Space (NAS),” Communications and NAVADIS Division of the FAA, Los Angeles, CA, September 2020.
• (Scientific Contribution) T.Skov and N.Nitta, “Stealthy Coronal Mass Ejections and High Speed Streams: A Recipe for Surprisingly Geoeffective Events at 1 AU,” American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA December 2019.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. GOES-13 SXI Corrective Action Review (SCAR) Summary Report, edited by T. Mulligan, D. Glackin, and E. Amatucci, prepared for GSFC NASA and NOAA GOESN/OP Program Office, 2007.
2. Hecht J.H., T. Mulligan, D. J. Strickland, A. J. Kochenash, Y. Murayama, Y.-M. Tanaka, D. S. Evans, M. G. Conde, E. F. Donovan, F. J. Rich, and D. Morrison, (2008), Satellite and ground-based observations of auroral energy deposition and the effects on thermospheric composition during large geomagnetic storms: the great geomagnetic storm of 20 November 2003, J.Geophys. Res., 113, doi:10.1029/2007JA012365.
3. Meshishnek, M., J. and T. Mulligan, (2008), An Assessment of Potential Proton Damage to Solar Cell Coverglass Materials for the Juno Mission, prepared for NASA JPL, Aerospace Corporation Technical Report No. ATR-2008(5284)-14.
4. Mulligan, T., A. A. Reinard, B. J. Lynch, (2013),Advancing In Situ Modeling of ICMEs: New Techniques for New Observations, J. Geophys. Res., 118, 1410–1427, doi:10.1002/jgra.50101.
5. Mulligan, T., J. B. Blake, D. Shaul, and J. Quenby. (2005), “Heliospheric Transient Structures Associated with Short-Period Variations in the GCR Flux, “Advances in Space Research 36, 1534-1543.
6. Mulligan, T. and C. T. Russell, (2001), Multispacecraft modeling of the flux rope structure of interplanetary coronal mass ejections: Cylindrically symmetric versus nonsymmetric topologies, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 10,581-10596.
7. Mulligan, T., C. T. Russell, and J. G. Luhmann, (1998), Solar cycle evolution of the structure of magnetic clouds in the inner heliosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 29592962.
8. Nitta, N. & Mulligan, T.. (2017). Earth-Affecting Coronal Mass Ejections Without Obvious Low Coronal Signatures. Solar Physics. 292. 10.1007/s11207-017-1147-7.
9. O’Brien, T.P., T. Mulligan Skov, S.G. Claudepierre, J.E. Mazur, J.B. Blake, J.F. Fennell, J.L. Roeder, Starks, M.J., Lindstrom, C.D., (2012), Requirements for low altitude space environment measurements to support situational awareness, anomaly resolution, and satellite design, Aerospace Technical Operating Report, TOR 2012(1550)-01.
10. Quenby J. J., T. Mulligan, J. B. Blake, and D. N. A. Shaul, (2013), Diffusion coefficients, short term cosmic ray modulation and convected magnetic structures, Advances in Astronomy special issue, Cosmic Ray Variability: Century of Its Observations.