Adam J. Rausch, Ph.D.

Chemistry in the field

Water tank in Maharashtra

Research Interests

Social and technical factors affecting success and resiliency of development projects
Developing-world and remote-area water infrastructure
Latent-variable, Bayesian models and sub-statistical quantitative methods
Development theory and behavioral economics
Capacitive deionization and electrochemical water treatment technologies
Science and engineering pedagogy

University of California, Berkeley

Santa Clara University

Boerner, P., Edwards, C., Lemen, J., Rausch, A., Schrijver, C., Shine, R., Shing, L., Stern, R., Tarbell, T., Title, A., Wolfson, C.J., Soufli, R., Spiller, E., Gullikson, E., McKenzie, D., Windt, D., Golub, L., Podgorski, W., Testa, P., Wever, M. (2012). “Initial Calibration of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).” Solar Physics 275 (1-2), 41-66.
Rausch, A., Deiker, S., Hilton, G., Irwin, K., Marinez-Galarce, D., Shing, L., Stern, R., Ullom, J., Vale, L. (2008). “Recent Developments in Transition-Edge Strip Detectors for Solar X-rays.” Proceedings of SPIE 7011 (2), 70113T.
Stern, R., Rausch, A., Deiker, S., Martinez-Galarce, D., Shing, L., Irwin, K., Ullom, J., O’Neil, G., Hilton, G., Vale, L (2008). “X-Ray Microcalorimeter Research for Solar Physics at LMSAL and NIST: An Update.” Journal of Low Temperature Physics 151 (3/4), 721-726.

Science at the Theater; Berkeley Repertory Theater, 20 Sept 2010

Carbon Smackdown; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 30 June 2010

Graduate Research Assistant, University of California, Berkeley / LBNL

Developed, designed, built, and tested laboratory-scale technology (pulse-charged capacitive deionization) for treating brackish water in the rural developing world; conducted theoretical modeling and simulation for same
Conducted field research in rural Ethiopia and India, including soliciting design feedback and impact assessment of water interventions
Wrote several successful grant proposals; presented work in large-format presentations for both colleagues and the public
Developed culturally-informed stove designs; improved methods for testing stove efficiency and emissions

Senior Research Engineer, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab

Conducted laboratory experiments to determine thermal, electrical, and optical properties of cryogenic sensors, including related theoretical modeling and data analysis
Performed tests for flight instruments, including SECCHI (on STEREO), AIA (on SDO), and SXI (on GOES)
Performed field repairs (hardware and software) for optics at the Swedish Solar Telescope (Roque de Los Muchachos, Canary Islands)
Designed and fabricated mechanical, electrical, and optical elements for the laboratory and field, including low-pressure, milli-Kelvin, and high-magnetic-field environments

Assistant Researcher, IBM Almaden Research Center

Developed mathematical models for the transmission of optical arrays in and out of holographic media
Improved data processing algorithms to reduce bit-error-rate in imperfect optical arrangements
Refined computer programs for controlling optical devices in the holographic data storage arrangements

Research Assistant, Cryogenic Dark Matter Search; Santa Clara University / Stanford University

Designed and built electronic and mechanical components for a 30mK probe used to test particle detectors
Maintained and operated a 4K probe, testing Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices
Designed and built electronic components to amplify low-temperature signals
Helped build and maintain a probe for testing JFETs at low temperatures

Graduate Research Instructor, University of California, Berkeley, Fall 2016

Assistant-taught upper-division/graduate level Introduction to Environmental Engineering (CIVENG 111), including leading a recitation class, assisting in lab prepration and sessions, and holding office hours.

Group Instructor / Visiting Scholar, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Spring 2013

Taught a project class (TDSL) on physical- and social-science field methods for the Centre for Technical Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA), including lectures, lab work, and extensive trips to research sites in the field.

Teaching Assistant, Santa Clara University, Spring 1998

Assisted students with laboratory work for modern physics for scientists and engineers (Physics 7L).

insearchofthekey@gmail.com