Dr. Jim Kurdzo

Technical Staff, Air Traffic Control Systems
MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Education

Ph.D.2015Meteorology
Univ. of Oklahoma
M.S.2013Electrical Engineering
Univ. of Oklahoma
M.S.2011Meteorology
Univ. of Oklahoma
B.S.2009Meteorology
Millersville University

Experience

2016 – PresentTechnical Staff, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
2015 – 2016Postdoctoral Fellow, Univ. of Oklahoma
2009 – 2015GRA, Univ. of Oklahoma
2013Visiting Scientist, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
2008Intern, NOAA NSSL
2007Intern, MIT Haystack Observatory
2006 – 2009Teaching Assistant, Millersville University
2006Intern, Weather Services International
2005 – 2009Research Assistant, Millersville University

Bio

Jim is a Technical Staff member at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. His research has focused within the realm of atmospheric weather radars, with foci in optimal waveform design, digital signal processing, radar network design and optimization, algorithm development and machine learning, and high spatiotemporal resolution phased-array/dual-polarimetric observations of supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes.  He currently studies applications of polarimetric, rapid-scanning, and phased-array weather radars to a plethora of meteorological topics.  These include deep learning techniques for tornado detection and prediction, machine learning methods for detection and characterization of non-hydrometeorological distributed targets, design and optimization of both weather radar waveforms and networks, adaptive digital beamforming design and optimization, and analysis of the impacts of both radar scanning modes and radar network design on performance of severe weather warnings and quantitative precipitation estimation. 

Jim is the current Chair of the AMS STAC Committee on Radar Meteorology, and has served as Chair of the AMS Local Chapter Affairs Committee, a member of the AMS Board on Outreach and Informal Education, an Associate Editor for AMS Monthly Weather Review and AMS Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Systems, and a Senior Member of the IEEE. He was a co-Chair of the 2023 AMS Conference on Radar Meteorology, and has served as a Track Chair and Program Area Lead at multiple IEEE Radar Conferences.  Jim was awarded the MIT Lincoln Laboratory Early Career Technical Achievement award in 2021, the Tommy C. Craighead award for Best Paper in Radar Meteorology at OU in 2015, and the OU School of Meteorology Director’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Graduate Program in 2012.