Joshua Thomas

Biography

Joshua Thomas was born in Ohio, and spent some time growing up in Rhode Island.  Josh went to the University of Toledo and graduated with a B.S. in physics with a concentration in astrophysics and departmental honors.  As an undergraduate Josh participated in experimental atomic physics research, and numerical simulation of microlensing events, as well as simulating images of the star Eta Car using a Monte Carlo technique.  In graduate school Josh worked in the field of laboratory astrophysics, measuring laser induced fluoresces of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for comparison to observed photoluminescence in the Red Rectangle nebula.  As a graduate student he focused on the analysis of spectra on the star at the center of the Red Rectangle determining the origin of several interesting features in the observed spectra.  Josh joined the faculty at Clarkson in the fall of 2012, where he teaches introductory physics and astrophysics.

Education Background

Physics Ph.D. - 2012 University of Toledo
Physics M.S. - 2006 University of Toledo
Physics B.S. - 2004 University of Toledo

Experience

Assistant Professor, Director of the Observatory Department of Physics, Clarkson University,

Courses Taught

• PH131 - Calculus based Physics I
• PH132 - Calculus based Physics II
• PH230 - Calculus based Physics III
• Physics I & II Team Design Labs
• PH157 - Elementary Astronomy
• PH457 - Introduction to Astrophysics

Research Interests

• Stellar spectroscopy: binary stars, Be, and Wolf-Rayet stars
• Astrophysical disks and jets​
• Laboratory astrophysics​
• Numerical simulation​
• Image analysis
• Undergraduate research​

Publications

Refereed Publications

• "Cornhole Predict the Perfect Pitch: A Hands on Projectile Motion Experience Comparing Models and Data'',Michael Ramsdell, Ben Galluzzo, Joshua Thomas, Kathleen Kavanagh, Corey Ryder, Darlene Bissonette, Jen Knack, Science Scope, (accepted December 2020)
• "Conservation of Energy Yields the Incubation Time and Embryonic Metabolism in Birds and Tyrannosaur Dinosaurs from the Geometry of the Egg", Scott A. Lee, Joshua D. Thomas, and Richard E. Irving, The Physics Teacher (accepted September 2020, expected in print spring 2021).
• "The Mass of Hatchling Tyrannosaur and Sauropod Dinosaurs', Joshua D. Thomas, Scott A. Lee, Max Cooley, and Richard E. Irving, The Physics Teacher, 58, 392, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1119/10.0001834
• "Building a STEM Mentoring Program in an Isolated, Economically Disadvantaged, Rural community", Seema Rivera, Jennifer M. Knack, Kathleen Kavanagh, Michael Ramsdell, Joshua Thomas, and Mary Margaret Small,  Journal of Educational Research and Practice Volume 9, Issue 1, Pages 413–422, 2019 DOI:10.5590/JERAP.2019.09.1.29
• "Spectroscopy, MOST photometry, and interferometery of MWC 314: is it an LBV or an interacting binary?", Richardson, Noel D.; Moffat, Anthony F. J.; Maltais-Tariant, Raphal; Pablo, Herbert; Gies, Douglas R.; Saio, Hideyuki; St-Louis, Nicole; Schaefer, Gail; Miroshnichenko, Anatoly S.; Farrington, Chris; Aldoretta, Emily J.; Artigau, tienne; Boyajian, Tabetha S.; Gor- don, Kathryn; Jones, Jeremy; Matson, Rachel; McAlister, Harold A.; O’Brien, David; Raghavan, Deepak; Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina; Ridgway, Stephen T.; Scott, Nic; Sturmann, Judit; Stur- mann, Laszlo; Brummelaar, Theo ten; Thomas, Joshua D.; Turner, Nils; Vargas, Norm; Zharikov, Sergey; Matthews, Jaymie; Cameron, Chris; Guenther, David; Kuschnig, Rainer; Rowe, Jason; Rucinski, Slavek; Sasselov, Dimitar; Weiss, Werner, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 455, Issue 1, p.244–257, November 2, 2015 DOI: 10.1093/mn- ras/stv2291NASA ADS
• "Forelimbs of Tyrannosaurus rex: a pathetic vestigial organ or an integral part of a fearsome predator?", Scott A. Lee and Joshua D. Thomas, Phys. Teach. 52, 521 (2014) AAPT NASA ADS
• "Geometry and velocity structure of HD 44179's bipolar jet", Joshua D. Thomas, Adolf N. Witt, Jason P. Aufdenberg, J. E. Bjorkman, Julie A. Dahlstrom, L. M. Hobbs, and Donald G. York, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Published 21 Jan 2013. NASA ADS
• The nature of the Na I D-lines in the Red Rectangle", Joshua D. Thomas, Adolf N. Witt, Jason P. Aufdenberg, J. E. Bjorkman, Julie A. Dahlstrom, S. R. Federman, L. M. Hobbs, Uma P. Vijh and Donald G. York, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 417, Issue 4, pp. 2860-2873., 2011 NASA ADS
• "Performance enhancement study of an electrostatic Faraday cup Detector",Thomas, J. D., Hodges, G. S., Seely, D. G., Moroz, N. A., & Kvale, T. J. 2005, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 536, 11 NASA ADS

Conference Publications

• "Isotope Effects in Low Energy Ion-Atom Collisions",Havener, C. C., Seely, D. G., Thomas, J. D., & Kvale, T. J. 2009, American Institute of Physics Conference Series, 1099, 150 NASA ADS
• "Production, Characterization, and Measurement of H(D) Beams on the ORNL Merged-Beams Experiment",Thomas, J. D., Kvale, T. J., Strasser, S. M. Z., Seely, D. G., & Havener, C. C. 2009, American Institute of Physics Conference Series, 1099, 154 NASA ADS
• "Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Gas-phase Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons",Thomas J. D., Witt A. N., Proceedings of the NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop 2006, pp. 264-268 NASA ADS