Florida Institute of Technology
High Tech with a Human Touch
Hamid Rassoul
Associate Dean: College of Sciences; Founding Dire
Physics and Space Sciences Department , College of Science
Professional Experience
Florida Techs nickname is Countdown College, and I always believe that its space science program must be more than the traditional astronomy program. I rebuilt the space science curriculum to reflect planetary and geophysics topics with emphasis on space physics. I founded Space Physics in Florida Tech, and I actively sought support of my colleagues to expand its research diversity. With their support, I recruited some of the best minds in business, to build one of the finest space physics laboratories in Florida and in the nation, the Geospace Physics Laboratory (GPL). The universitys records show my unselfish commitment for all types of service activities: creating/participating in many interdisciplinary courses for all students, record of successes with several student clubs, serving on all sorts of department affairs and university wide organizations, and making myself available to the public and professional communities. I care about tasks and I care about the people. My recent position as Associate Dean of College of Science is the natural move for me along the maturity axis of being a true academician to serve my students and my university.Educational Background
B.S. Mathematics & Philosophy University of Teheran, Iran 1976B.S. Physics University of Teheran, Iran 1977
M.S. Physics University of Texas 1982
Ph.D. Space Physics University of Texas, Dallas 1986
Current Research
My research work and publications can be divided into five sub-sections of Space and Atmospheric Physics. They are (1) Energetic radiation from planetary lightning discharges (Terrestrial and Jovian) including TGFs, (2) Energetic particle environment within the Solar System (SEP and cosmic ray composition and propagation/modulation) (3) Space weather studying of the inner magnetosphere during magnetic storms and substorms (Plasmaspheres structures, its interaction with the magnetospheric ring current, and magnetospheric ULF pulsations during storms and substorms), (4) Upper atmospheric chemistry using ground and shuttle based observations (ATLAS-1 ISO project and UARC), and (5) Great or Low Latitude Auroras (Observational and theoretical studies of their particle & field characteristics). I listed the areas in the order in which I am currently most active. My active projects, the one that I currently publish, train graduate students, work with postdoctoral fellows, and have supporting external funds are the first three areas, most notably the lightning research initiative where I have been a co-discoverer of a scientific breakthrough in lightning research and share two invention patents for a unique lightning detection systems.PI and/or Co-PI on >$1.5M in active grants.
Co-Patent Holder: World Intellectual Property Organization, WO/2006/063351, LIGHTNING DETECTOR USING AN X-RAY DETECTOR AND AN E- OR B-FIELD DETECTOR.
Personal Overview
Honors and Awards- Outstanding Advocate Award, 2007.
- Outstanding President's Award for Service, 2006, 2007.
- Faculty Excellence Award in Service, Florida Tech, 2004.
- Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching, Florida Tech, 1998.
- Students Choice -- COS Teacher of the Year Award, 1995.
- Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching, Florida Tech, 1991.
- Florida Academy of Sciences, Chair and/or Co-Chair, Physics and Space Sciences Section, 1992-2005.
- NASA Exceptional Performance Awards for Space Science Curriculum Development, 1992, 1994.
- NASA Exceptional Performance Awards for Research in ATLAS-1 ISO and JOVE missions, 1992, 1993, 1995.
- Brevard County Supper Apple Award in High School Outreach Education, 1992.
- West Melbourne School of Sciences, Advisory Council, FIT Representative, 2001-2005.
- Florida Space Institute (FSI)at KSC, FIT Educational Representative, 1999-2005.
-Chairman of Florida Tech's Faculty Senate Admission and Scholarship Committee, 1991-1993.