Lyle Ford

Background

• Raised in Dubuque, Iowa.
• Graduated from the University of Iowa in 1990 with a B.S. in physics and astronomy with a minor in mathematical sciences.
• Received an M.S. from the University of California, San Diego in 1991.
• Received a Ph.D. from UCSD in 1996, working at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences.

Teaching

• Physics 212: General Physics. An introductory, non-calculus based physics course with laboratory. Topics covered in this course include electricity, magnetism, light, and modern physics.
• Physics 333: University Physics III. Introduction to the experimental and theoretical basis of quantum physics, including particle aspects of radiation, matter waves, Bohr model of the atom, Schrodinger wave mechanics and its application to the hydrogen atom and multielectron atoms.

Research

• My current research focuses primarily on asteroids spin vector orientations. Along with several other faculty members and students, we are measuring the light curves of asteroids with the intention of determining the orientaion of their axes of rotation. The observations are carried out at Hobbs Observatory, located in Fall Creek, Wisconsin. We hope that our work will allow a deeper understanding of the structure of these asteroids and the collision in which this family was created.
• I have also been involved in the study of gamma-ray bursts observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment. I spent most of my time on spectroscopy and worked in collaboration with teams at the Center for Center for Astrophysics and Space Science at UCSD, Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, and Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.

Contacting Professor Ford

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Lyle Ford
Updated: January 20, 2006