Cynthia Cattell

Cynthia Cattell is a space plasma physicist known for her research on solar flares and radiation belts.

Cynthia A. Cattell
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley
Scientific career
Thesis	Magnetic field-aligned currents in the earth's magnetosphere (1980)
Doctoral advisor	Forrest S. Mozer

Education and career

Cattell has a B.A. from Hampshire College (1974) ^[1] and earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1980.^[2]

As of 2021, Cattell is a professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota.^[1]

Research

Cattell's research on electron holes in space helps explain the release of energy from magnetic explosions in space.^[3][4] Cattell has also examined the energization of electrons in Earth's radiation belt^[5] and used satellite data to examine the behavior of ions flowing around Earth.^[6][7] Cattell uses her scientific knowledge to present the public with viewing opportunities to see the Northern Lights.^[8]

Selected publications

• Cattell, C. (2005). "Cluster observations of electron holes in association with magnetotail reconnection and comparison to simulations". Journal of Geophysical Research. 110 (A1): A01211. Bibcode:2005JGRA..110.1211C. doi:10.1029/2004JA010519. hdl:11603/30666.
• Cattell, C.; Wygant, J. R.; Goetz, K.; Kersten, K.; Kellogg, P. J.; von Rosenvinge, T.; Bale, S. D.; Roth, I.; Temerin, M.; Hudson, M. K.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Wiedenbeck, M.; Maksimovic, M.; Ergun, R.; Acuna, M.; Russell, C. T. (12 January 2008). "Discovery of very large amplitude whistler-mode waves in Earth's radiation belts" (PDF). Geophysical Research Letters. 35 (1): L01105. Bibcode:2008GeoRL..35.1105C. doi:10.1029/2007GL032009. S2CID 120148399.
• Cattell, C.; Dombeck, J.; Hanson, L. (7 September 2013). "Simultaneous ground and satellite observations of discrete auroral arcs, substorm aurora, and Alfvénic aurora with FAST and THEMIS GBO". Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 118 (9): 5673–5680. doi:10.1002/jgra.50546. S2CID 120148399.
• Colpitts, C.A.; Hakimi, S.; Cattell, C.A.; Dombeck, J.; Maas, M. (29 October 2013). "Simultaneous ground and satellite observations of discrete auroral arcs, substorm aurora, and Alfvénic aurora with FAST and THEMIS GBO". Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 118 (11): 6998–7010. Bibcode:2013JGRA..118.6998C. doi:10.1002/2013JA018796. S2CID 120148399.

Awards and honors

• National Academy of Sciences/Committee on Solar Terrestrial Research, 1993-1995
• NASA Sun-Earth-Connection Advisory Subcommittee, 1998-2001^[9]
• Chair, NASA Plasma Sail Assessment Working Group, 2003^[10]
• National Academy of Sciences/Plasma Sciences Committee, 2001-2005^[11]
• NASA SSSC Roadmap Committee, 2004-2005^[12]
• Member, Advisory Committee to UCLA Basic Plasma Science Facility, 2004-2007^[12]
• National Academy of Sciences/Committee on Science Opportunities Enables by NASA's Constellation System, 2008^[12]
• Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2008)^[13]
• Fellow, American Physical Society (2010)^[14]
• George W. Taylor for Distinguished Service (2011) from the University of Minnesota ^[15]
• CSE Distinguished Professor (2020)^[16]
• Mullen-Spector-Traux Women's Leadership Award (2014)^[16]
• Cottrell Scholar (1997)^[16]

Personal life

In 2012, Cattell was diagnosed with cancer and was treated with an experimental drug developed by colleagues at University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Center.^[17][18] After receiving an increased dosage of an experimental drug there was a reduction in Cattell's tumor and her lymphoma was considered in remission.^[19]