Ramón E. López facts for kids

Ramón E. López, born around 1959, is a physics professor from Puerto Rico. He teaches at the University of Texas at Arlington. He studies space and how to teach science better.

He is a special member of the American Physical Society (since 1999) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 2011). In 2002, he won an award called the Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach. This award was for his great work in helping many people learn about science.

Dr. López helped create a fun, hands-on science program for elementary and middle school kids. This program was used in the Montgomery County Public School System in Maryland. He also co-wrote a book called Storms from the Sun. It's all about 'space weather' – how the Sun's magnetic energy and solar wind can affect Earth's protective shield, the magnetosphere.

Growing Up and School

Ramón López was born in Illinois. His parents were from Puerto Rico. His father was a doctor in the United States Army, and his mother was an elementary school teacher.

When he was a child, his father gave him a telescope. This gift, along with watching the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969, made him want to study space physics. When he was in sixth grade, his family moved to Freeport, Illinois. Later, they moved outside of town, and he went to Pearl City High School. His science teacher there taught him a little about computer programming. This teacher also helped him decide to become a scientist.

López went to the University of Illinois in 1976. He earned his first degree in Physics in 1980. While he was a student, he helped with science demonstrations. He also wrote articles for the school newspaper. He received a special scholarship to attend Rice University in Houston. There, he studied Space Physics and Astronomy. He earned his Master's degree in 1984. In 1986, he earned his Ph.D. in space physics.

His Career in Science

From 1985 to 1992, Dr. López worked as a scientist for a company called Applied Research Corporation. They worked with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

In 1992, López started working at the University of Maryland. He held several roles there, including Research Associate and Assistant Director. He worked closely with the Montgomery County Public Schools. He helped them start a hands-on science program for younger students.

From 1993 to 1999, Dr. López was the Director of Education and Outreach Programs for The American Physical Society. After that, he became the head of the Physics Department at the University of Texas at El Paso. In 2002, he received the Nicholson Medal for his helpful service to science.

In 2003, he helped organize a conference about physics courses. He is also a Co-Director for Diversity for a group called the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling. This group gets money from the National Science Foundation. In 2004, he moved to the Florida Institute of Technology. Then, in 2007, he joined the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Space Research

Dr. López's research looks at how the solar wind affects Earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is Earth's magnetic shield. He also studies magnetic storms and substorms. These are times when energy from the solar wind is released from Earth's magnetic tail.

His research helps us understand the magnetic properties of the Sun and solar wind. It also shows how these things affect Earth's magnetosphere. He leads a research team that works on both space physics and science education. In 2002, Dr. López and Michael Carolwicz wrote a popular book together. It's called Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather.

Scientific Writings

Dr. López has written many scientific papers. Here are a few examples:

• Predicting Magnetopause Crossings at Geosynchronous Orbit During the Halloween Storms, Space Weather, 2007.
• Using Space Physics in Undergraduate Electromagnetism Courses; 2007.
• Active Learning for Advanced Students: The Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling Graduate Summer School; 2007.
• Field-Aligned Currents in the Polar Cap During Saturation of the Polar Cap Potential, J. Atmos. Sol. Terr. Phys.; 2007.
• The role of magnetosheath force balance in regulating the dayside reconnection potential, J. Geophys. Res., 2010.
• The Impact of Stereo Display on Student Understanding of Phases of the Moon, Astronomy Education Review, 2010.

Groups He Belongs To

Dr. López is a member of these important groups:

• American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• American Physical Society (APS)
• National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP)
• Soc. for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• Puerto Rican scientists and inventors