David Guerra

I am currently a Professor of Physics at Saint Anselm College. Previously, I was on the faculty of Western Maryland College (assistant professor), Montgomery College (instructor), and The Bullis School (physics/economics teacher and football/lacrosse coach). 

As a graduate student and National Research Council (NRC) postdoctoral researcher, I developed laser systems for atmospheric sensing, in the photonics group at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). For two decades, I worked with the Laboratory for Atmospheres from NASA-GSFC's on the development of a novel lidar (laser radar) system that employed a hologram of a point source as its receiver and scan mirror. Currently, I am using GIS software and remote sensing data, including lidar, hyperspectral, and satellite based data, to study natural systems in New Hampshire and around the world.  This research, which provides students the opportunity to employ many skills they develop in classes in a multidisciplinary exercise, was initiated through funding through a statewide EPSCoR - National Science Foundation grant. 

As a native New Englander, I enjoy the outdoors in all seasons. I spend as much time as I can at the coast, at the lakes, and in the mountains of NH.  I have climbed all 48 of NH's 4000 footers with my children and the whole family loves to skate and ski, both downhill and cross-country.

Saint Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.
Professor of Physics (2007 - Present)
Associate Professor of Physics (Dec. 2001 - 2007)
Chair of the Department (August 2001 - 2013)
Tenured: December 2000
Assistant Professor of Physics (Sept. 1998 - Dec. 2001)

Western Maryland College, Westminster, Md.
Assistant Professor of Physics (September 1994 - May 1998)
Chair of the Department (August 1996 - May 1998)

Montgomery College, Germantown, Md.
Lecturer of Physics (September 1992 - January 1994)

The Bullis School, Potomac, Md.
Teacher (September 1986 - June 1990)   Physics, Conceptual  Physics, and Economics.
Head Coach Varsity Lacrosse (1987 - 1988), Assistant Coach (1989 - 1990)
Assistant Coach Junior Varsity Football , Defensive Coordinator (Sept. 1986 - Nov. 89)

Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt.
Teaching Assistant (September 1983 - June 1986) Physics I and II and the Physics of Sports.

Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH.

• Atmospheric Buoyancy Wave Analysis of Lidar Data (2005 – present): Develop algorithms and write IDL code to analyze lidar data to study atmospheric buoyancy waves.
• PHASERS On Campus Project Leader (September 1998 - 2005): Prototype Holographic Atmospheric Scanner for Environmental Remote Sensing (PHASERS) with NASA - GSFC: Responsible for the maintenance, operation, and upgrade of the Holographic Optical Telescope and Scanner (HOTS) lidar system. Specifically this includes development of hardware and software algorithms for data collection and  analysis.
• Solar Irradiance Network: A site for the measurement of solar has been established and operated at Saint Anselm College with funding from NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
• Lidar Data Analysis: Development and coding, in Matlab and Mathcad, of algorithms for analysis of lidar data from systems other than PHASERS.

Analysis of Remote Sensing Data for Environmental Studies (2014-Present)

As part of the New Hampshire EPSCoR grant, we (research students and I) are developing algorithms and implementing these data analysis techniques using ARCGIS in the study of the correlation of data from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS satellite) to provide a baseline from which environmental measurements ranging from snow melt, leaf out of trees, and even bird song characteristics can be compared.

Mapping the Rugosity of NH Forests with Lidar Data (2011-present)

As part of the state wide effort funded by the National Science Foundation's EPSCoR program  to quantify forest services, I am using ARCGiS software to produce maps of the Rugosity (standard deviation of tree height) of some of New Hampshire's experimental forests.  This information will be analyzed along with other data compiled from other airborne instruments, satellites, and ground measurements. This multidisciplinary research provides excellent opportunities for students to learn valuable skills and to experience how a huge scientific undertaking coordinated.

Western Maryland College, Westminster, MD.

• On Campus Project Leader (September 1995 - May 1998): Same description as at Saint Anselm College excluding the Solar Irradiance Network.

NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD

• Mesoscale Atmospheric Branch, Laboratory for Atmospheres:
• NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellow (May. 1997 - Aug. 1997): Lidar research with the PHASERS system at WMC and at NASA-GSFC. The system was operated on a daily basis and atmospheric data was analyzed. Continual upgrades were made to the system, such as & computer system integration with Labview and daytime operation requirements.  Testing of new HOEs and development of a new source laser was also conducted at NASA-GSFC.
• NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellow (May. 1996 - Aug. 1996): Lidar research with the HOTS system at MC and a Scanning Raman Lidar system  deployed at NASA Wallops as part of the TARFOX program.

NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD

• Photonics Branch: Laser Ranging and Altimetery Section.

National Research Council Postdoctoral Researcher (Nov. 1993 - Sept. 1994)

• Gain Switched Ti: Sapphire
• Responsibilities include the theoretical and bread-board design of a completely solid-state, compact, frequency-doubled Nd:YAG pumped, gain switched Ti:Sapphire laser.HOTS Lidar System
• Responsible for the design, assembly, integration,and operation of a frequency doubled diode pumped Nd:YAG as the primary source laser for a Holographic Lidar system.

GSRP Research Associate (September 1990 - August 1993) SRS Project:

• Responsibilities included theoretical modeling, bread-boarding, system analysis, and operation and maintenance of an Alexandrite pump laser.
• Alexandrite Ring: Member of a team which constructed and analyzed an AO Q-switched, BRT tuned, injection seeded ring laser as a possible lidar source.Diamond Photoconductivity: Participated in the design and implements of tests for the measurements of the photoconductivity of diamond thin films in consideration of there use as possible UV detectors.

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, Cambridge, MA.

• Student Intern (January 1985 and Summer 1985): Participated in the test and evaluation of guidance systems. Responsibilities included the generation of data reduction programs for the test and presenting overviews of the test concept to government and private industry personnel.

Fellowships

• NASA - ASSE Summer Faculty Fellowship, 1997
• NASA - ASSE Summer Faculty Fellowship, 1996
• National Research Council (NRC), 1993 (Post Doctoral Research Fellowship)
• NASA Research Training Grant, 1992
• NASA Research Training Grant, 1991
• NASA Research Training Grant, 1990

Grants and Agreements

• NSF-EPSCoR (NH), Remote Sensing Analysis for the Study of NH Ecosystems: 2010-2016.
• Cooperative Agreement between NASA-GSFC & Saint Anselm College, Operation and development of the PHASERS Lidar System, 2002-2003.
• Cooperative Agreement between NASA-GSFC & Saint Anselm College, Operation and development of the PHASERS Lidar System, 2000-2001.
• Grant from NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies, to establish an MFR site for the Solar Irradiance Research Network. 1999
• Cooperative Agreement between NASA-GSFC & Saint Anselm College, Operation and development of the PHASERS Lidar System, 1999-2000.
• Cooperative Agreement between NASA-GSFC & Western Maryland College, Operation and development of the PHASERS Lidar System, 1997-1998.
• NASA Grant : Lidar Research at WMC: Summer 1996.
• Memorandum of Agreement:  NASA-GSFC and WMC, HOTS Lidar System, 1995-97.
• National Science Foundation, ILI Grant "Laser Based Experiments in Physics" 1995-97

Book Chapters:  

Foundations of Physics: (Chapters 16, 17, 18, 24 and an Application Section on lasers) Referenced as a Science Content Consultant in the title pages of the text.

Refereed Publications

“Macrogeographic variation in song of the MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei), Jay Pitocchelli, David Guerra, and Jaimie Kender, The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, September 2018, Vol. 130, No. 3, pp. 716-729

"A longer vernal window: the role of winter coldness and snowpack in driving spring transitions and lags", Contosta AR, Adolph A, Burchsted D, Burakowski E, Green M, Guerra D, Albert M, Dibb J, Martin M, McDowell WH, Routhier M, Wake C, Whitaker R, Wollheim W. Glob. Chang. Biol. 2016; 23(4): 1610-1625.  doi:10.1111/gcb.13517

"An Introduction to Dimensionless Parameters in the Study of Viscous Fluid Flows", D. Guerra, K. Corley, P. Giacometti, E. Holland, M. Humphreys, and M. Nicotera, The Physics Teacher, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 175-179, March 2011.

"Detecting Atmospheric Buoyancy Waves in Lidar Data," Visa S., Guerra D., Garcia S., Proceedings of 19th Midwest Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science Conference 2008, Cincinnati, OH, pages 62-69, May 2008

"Holographic Optical Elements as Scanning Lidar Telescopes," Schwemmer, Rallison, Wilkerson, Guerra, Lasers and Optics in Engineering, Vol. 44, Issue 9, September 2006.

“Service Learning in Physics: The Consultant Model,” Guerra, D., The Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Vol. 10 (3), p. 143, 2006

“A Bernoulli’s Law Lab in a Bottle”, Guerra, D., Plainstaid, A., and Smith, M, The Physics Teacher, Vol, 43, No. 7, pp. 456-459, October 2005.

“Horizontal Wind Measurements Using The Harlie Holographic Lidar”, T. Wilkerson, I. Andrus, J. Sanders,G.Schwemmer, D. Miller, and D. Guerra:  , Lidar Remote Sensing for Industry and Environment Monitoring II, Volume 4484, 64-73, 2002.

“Ground Based Operational Testing of Holographic Scanning Lidars,”, Schwemmer, G., Wilkerson, T., Sanders,  J., Guerra, D., Miller, D., Moody, S.; Advances in Laser Remote Sensing, publisher: Ecole Polytechnique, Editors: Dabas, Loth and Pelon, pp. 69-72, France, 2001.

"An Introduction to Laser Modeling Studies with a  Nitrogen-pumped Dye Laser", D. Guerra, M. Morgan II, and  D. Coyle, The American Journal of Physics, Vol 67 (9),  pp. 803-810, 1999. 

"Prototype Holographic Atmospheric Scanner for Environmental Remote Sensing", D. Guerra, G. Schwemmer, A. Wooten, S. Chaudhuri, T. Wilkerson, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 104 No. D18, pp. 22,287- 22,292, Sept. 1999. 

"Emphasizing Environmental Concepts and Policies in an Introductory Meteorology Course", D. Guerra, The Journal of Geoscience Education, Vol 47, pp. 362-366, Sept 1999. 

"Teaching the Effects of Air Resistance Using the VideoPoint Movies", V. Pagonis, D. Guerra, S. Chauduri, B. Hornbecker, and N. Smith, The Physics Teacher, Vol 35, September 1997. 

"The Human Laser." D. Guerra, The Physics Teacher, Vol. 34, March 1996. 

"An Interactive Model of Diode-Pumped, Q-Switched / Cavity Dumped Lasers." B. Coyle, D. Guerra, and R. Kay, J. Phys. D: Applied Physics, 28, 452, 1995. 

"Completely Solid State Tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser System of Lidar and Atmospheric Spectroscopy." D. Guerra, B. Coyle, and D. Krebs, Meas. Sci. and Tech. 5, 1306, 1994. 

"Stimulated Raman Scattering in Hydrogen Pumped with a Tunable, High Power, Narrow Linewidth Alexandrite Laser.", D. Guerra and R. Kay, J. Phys. B: Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics., 26, 3975, 1993. 

"Stellar Orbits in Angle Variables II.  Two Dimensional Orbits in a Rotating Potential.", D. Guerra and S. Ratcliff, The Astrophysical Journal., 348, 127, 1990.  

Additional Publications

“A Pocket Guide for Negotiating Your Small-College Contract,” Elaine Rizzo, David Guerra, and Jay Pitocchelli, Academe, Jan.2006

“NASA lidar uses HOEs for lightweight scanning”, Schwemmer, Miller, Wilkerson, Guerra, and Rallison, Laser Focus World, June 2002.

"Large Aperture Scanning Lidar based on Holographic Elements", G. Schwemmer, D. Miller, T. D. Wilkerson, I. Andrus and David V. Guerra, 2001: International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Sydney, Australia, July 9-13, 2001.  

“The HOLO Series: Critical Ground-Based Demonstrations of Holographic Scanning Lidars”, Proceedings of the SPIE Conference on Lidar Remote Sensing for Industry and Environment Monitoring, Sendai, Japan, October 2000.

“Ground Based Operational Testing of Holographic Scanning Lidars: The HOLO Experiments”, G. Schwemmer, T. Wilkerson, J. Saunders,D. Guerra, D. Miller, S. Moody, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

“Comparison of Two Lidar Methods of Wind Measurements by Cloud Tracking”, J. Saunders, T. Wilkerson, G. Schwemmer, D. Miller, D. Guerra, S. Moody, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

“Observations of Shear-Induced Turbulence using HARLIE”, D. Miller, G. Schwemmer, J. Saunders, T. Wilkerson, D. Guerra, S. Moody, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

"Holographic Optical Telescope and Scanner (HOTS) for lidar applications", D. Guerra, G. Schwemmer, & T. Wilkerson, International Technology Group Newsletter of the International Society of Engineers (SPIE), June 2000.

"Ground Based Operational Testing of Holographic Scanning Lidars: The HOLO Experiments", G. Schwemmer, T. Wilkerson, J. Saunders,D. Guerra, D. Miller, S. Moody, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

"Comparison of Two Lidar Methods of Wind Measurements by Cloud Tracking", J. Saunders, T. Wilkerson, G. Schwemmer, D. Miller, D. Guerra, S. Moody, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

"Observations of Shear-Induced Turbulence using HARLIE", D. Miller, G. Schwemmer, J. Saunders, T. Wilkerson, D. Guerra, S. Moody, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

 "Compact Scanning Lidar Systems Using Holographic Optics", G. Schwemmer, T. Wilkerson, D. Guerra, Proceedings of the SPIE Conference on Optical Remote Sensing for Industry and Environmental Monitoring, Sept. 1998. 

"Operation of the Prototype Holographic Atmospheric Scanner for Environmental Remote Sensing (PHASERS).", D. Guerra, A. Wooten, S. Chaudhuri, and G. Schwemmer, Proceedings of the 19th International Laser Radar Conference, June 1998. 

"Holographic Solid State LIDAR." G. Schwemmer, B. Coyle, and D. Guerra, Proceedings of the International Conference on LASERS' 95.

"Completely Solid State Tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser System." D. Guerra, B. Coyle, and D. Krebs, Laser Tech. Briefs., Summer 1994. 

Presentations

"Macrogeographic variation in song of the MacGillivray's Warbler", Jay Pitocchelli, David Guerra, Ms. Jaimie Kender, WOS Annual Meeting, March 2017.

"Investigating the Relationship between Forest Structure and Albedo with Airborne Lidar and Hyperspectral Data",David Guerra, Dennis Dermody, Deana Del Vecchio, Adam Albina: Saint Anselm College, Lucie Lepine: University of New Hampshire Fall 2014 EPSCoR all hands meeting.

"Analyzing LIDAR Data in ARGGIS 10.1", David Guerra, Proceedings of the NEARC, Sunday, September, 29 2013. 

"An Introduction to Analyzing Lidar Data in ARCGIS", David Guerra, Intermediate Spatial Institute (EPSCoR), Summer 2013. 

"Mapping Rugosity of New Hampshire Forests from Lidar Data", Deana Del Vecchio and David Guerra, SOAR Science Poster Session, Saint Anselm College, April 25, 2013.

“Service Learning in the Sciences”, Northeast Regional Campus Compact Conference, April 6-8, 2006. (workshop)

“Service Learning in Physics: The Consultant Model” D. Guerra, Proceedings of the APS-AAPT Spring Meeting, MIT, April 2005. 

“Service Learning in Physics: The Consultant Model” D. Guerra, Proceedings of the Northeast Regional Campus Compact Conference, April 2004.  (invited talk)

“A Bernoulli’s Law Lab in a Bottle”, D. V. Guerra, A. Plaisted, and M. Smith, Proceeding of the Spring NE-APS Meeting, April. 2004.

“An Atmospheric Instrument Development Outreach Program.”, D. V. Guerra, N. Cordella, and Sue Bracy, Proceeding of the Spring NE-APS Meeting, April. 2002

“A SAASE Outreach Project – Field Tests of Han-Held Haze Detectors”, D. V. Guerra, N. Cordella, and Sue Bracy,  Proceedings of the 21th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2002.

“Spreadsheet Laser Dynamics.”, D. V. Guerra, S. Schnick, Proceeding of the Fall NE-APS Meeting, Oct. 2001.

“A SAASE Outreach Project – Field Tests of Hand-Held Haze Detectors”, D. V. Guerra, N. Cordella, and S. Bracy, Proceedings of the 21st International Laser Radar Conference, Quebec City, Canada, July 2002.

“Spreadsheet Laser Dynamics.”, D. V. Guerra, S. Schnick, Proceeding of the Fall NE-APS Meeting, Nov. 2001

"Factor Analysis of Temperature, Cloud Altitudes, and Tropospheric Ozone", D. Guerra, J. Schnick, J. McLain, A. Maurier, J. Pentleton, and J. Snow, Proceedings of the 20th International Laser Radar Conference, July 2000.

"Atmospheric Remote Sensing During the Summer of 1999 in Manchester, NH", D. Guerra, J. Schnick, J. McLain, A. Maurier, Proceeding of the Fall New England Section of APS, Oct. 1999. 

"An Introduction to Laser Modeling Studies with a Nitrogen Pumped Dye Laser.", D. V. Guerra and M. A. Morgan II, Proceeding of the Chesapeake Section of the AAPT, May 1998. 

"Prototype Holographic Atmospheric Scanner for Environmental Remote Sensing (PHASERS).", D. V. Guerra, G. K. Schwemmer, S. Chaudhuri., Proceedings of the 1998 Spring Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), May 1998. 

Mock Congressional Hearing of the Clean Air Act as the Focal Point of a  General Science Level Meteorology Course.", D. V. Guerra, Proceedings of the 1998 Spring Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), May 1998 

"Ground Tests of a Holographic Optical Telescope and Scanner.", D. V. Guerra, G. K. Schwemmer, A. D. Wooten Jr. Proceedings of the 1997 Spring Meeting of the American Geophysical Union., May 1997 

"Scanning Raman Lidar Measurements of Aerosol Backscatter and Extinction Profiles During TARFOX."  R. A. Ferrare, G Schwemmer, K Evens, D Whiteman, Y Kaufman, D. Guerra, D Wooten,  Proceedings of the 1997 Spring Meeting of the American Geophysical Union., May 1997 

"Prototype Holographic Atmospheric Scanner for Enviornmental Remote Sensing", A. Wooten, D. Guerra, G. Schwemmer, Bull. Am Phys. Soc.- Transactions A,1996. [Fall NES-APS.] 

"A Convoluted Demonstration." D. Guerra and N. Smith, Proceedings of SEPA / DE / MD AAPT, Spring 1996. 

"Effects of Computational Precision on the Modeling of Q-Switched Laser Pulses." E.C. Allman and D.V. Guerra, Bull. Am Phys Soc. Transactions A, July 1995. [Spring NES-APS] 

"Completely Solid State Tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser for Lidar and Atmospheric Spectroscopy." D. Guerra, B. Coyle, and D. Krebs,  Bull. Am Phys. Soc.- Transactions A, 3, July 1994. [Spring NES-APS.] 

"Bandwidth Measurements of Radiation Shifted by SRS.", D. Guerra and R. Kay, Bull. Am Phys. Soc., 37, 9, 1992.  [Spring NES-APS.] 

"Tunable SRS from Alexandrite Pumped Hydrogen Gas.", D. Guerra, R. Kay, and B. Seery, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., 36, 7, 1991.  [VII APS International Laser Section] 

"Q-Switched Alexandrite Ring Laser.", B. Zukowski and D. Guerra, The American Univ. College of Arts & Sciences Research Conference, 1991.

Center for Science Education – Educational Development Center Inc.,
Newton, MA Content Editor – Science Education (February 2007 – Sept. 2007) Responsible for editing chapters for a physics text

Northern New England Campus Compact  Service Learning Consultant (November 2005 – present)Participate in the development of the service learning support system.

CPO – Science, Peabody, MA:  Author/Editor – Science Education (Sept. 2002 – Sept. 2004)Responsible for writing four chapters on light, geometric optics, physical optics, and electronics, questions, and other materials for a new physics textbook.  I also participated in the editing of chapters for a physical science text and the physics text.  

COLOR - Corporation for Laser Optics Research
Consultant - Laser System Development (Feb. 2001 – Oct. 2001)
Participated in the development of high-power, Q-switched, diode-pumped, lasers for commercial applications.

Technology and Engineering Inc.
Contractor (May - August 1995) 
Research at NASA/GSFC on the Raster Scanning Laser Altimeter. Design and assembly of a CW diode pumped, high repetition rate, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

Laser Systems Devices
Consultant (Dec. 1994 - Jan. 1995)
Designed a cw Nd:YAG laser and specified vendors for the components.