Dr. Jonathan Nyquist, a research staff member of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL) Environmental Sciences Division (ESD), has received two distinct honors in the field of geosciences.
Nyquist has been named co-chair of the Publications Committee for the Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society (EEGS), which is a professional society that encourages use of advanced geophysical methods in solving environmental and engineering geology problems.
As co-chair, he will assist in management of the committee, solicit manuscripts from authors for the Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics and the EEGS newsletter, and enlist volunteers to help maintain the worldwide web site for EEGS. Nyquist has been instrumental in the development and administration of the web site.
Geotimes, a publication that covers news and science related to all aspects of the geosciences, has selected Nyquist to serve on the editorial board. As editor, he will aid in the solicitation and review of articles for the journal, which is published by the American Geologic Institute.
Nyquist began his career at ORNL in the Health Sciences Division in 1986 before moving to his current position in ESD in 1991. His research emphasizes the use of aerial geophysical techniques to characterize land areas, help make land-use decisions and support environmental restoration programs.
Aerial geophysics involves collecting magnetic, electromagnetic and radiation data using detectors suspended beneath a helicopter. The detectors map the location of burial grounds, contaminated areas, and pathways such as faults, underground caves and sinkholes for groundwater flow. This data confirms waste sites and boundaries and allows for follow-up with ground-based geophysical surveys.
Nyquist is active in developing techniques to use remotely piloted airplanes to carry new types of geophysical sensors. His display of radio-controlled planes was at the annual airplane show at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge on Feb. 10.
He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn., and the University of Maryland, respectively, and his doctorate in geophysics at the University of Wisconsin.
Nyquist is active in the National Groundwater Association, the International Association of Mathematical Geologists, the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and several geophysical societies.
He lives in Oak Ridge with his wife, Laura Toran, and daughters, Katie and Megan.
ORNL, one of DOE's multiprogram national research and development facilities, is managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation