Kevin M. McGrath
Kevin M. McGrath
Research Associate
Jacobs Technology
320 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35805
Phone 256-961-7781
Fax 256-961-7788
kevin.m.mcgrath@nasa.gov
Kevin McGrath received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering from The University of Michigan in 2000. He completed his Master of Science degree at the University of Oklahoma in 2003, where he generated a mesocyclone climatology of the southern Great Plains using the National Severe Storm Laboratory's Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm. Additionally, while studying at the University of Oklahoma, Mr. McGrath conducted field research with the Doppler on Wheels mobile radar platforms and was the teaching assistant for the graduate-level radar class. After graduation, Mr. McGrath worked as a Meteorologist and IT Systems Manager at the US Army Kwajalein Atoll Missile Range Weather Station in the Marshall Islands, where he developed diverse experience in operational forecasting, programming, and managing mission-critical information technology infrastructure such as a dual-polarimetric Doppler weather radar and McIDAS-based satellite ground stations and data distribution network. Presently, Mr. McGrath works as a Terrestrial Environments Engineer in Marshall Space Flight Center's Natural Environments branch, developing and executing day-of-launch wind validation support for the Space Shuttle and Ares programs. Mr. McGrath joined SPoRT in May 2009 to assist in the transition of data products to AWIPS II.
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Education
- Master of Science in Meteorology (2003), University of Oklahoma, School of Meteorology
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering (2000), University of Michigan, College of Engineering & Computer Science
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Positions
- Research Associate, May 2009 - Present, Jacobs Technology, SPoRT, Huntsville, AL
- Terrestrial Environments Engineer, January 2008 - Present, Jacobs Technology, Marshall Space Flight Center, Natural Environments Branch, Huntsville, AL
- Linux/Network Engineer, April 2007 - January 2008, 3D Research Corporation, Huntsville, AL
- IT Systems Manager, July 2004 - March 2007, 3D Research Corporation, US Army Kwajalein Atoll Weather Station, Marshall Islands
- Meteorologist, June 2003 - July 2004, 3D Research Corporation, US Army Kwajalein Atoll Weather Station, Marshall Islands
- Graduate Research Assistant, July 2000 - May 2003, School of Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
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Publications
- Carey, L.D., W.P. Roeder, K.M. McGrath, W.A. Petersen, W.D. Deierling, 2009: The New Weather Radar for America's Space Program in Florida: A Temperature Profile Adaptive Scan Strategy. Preprint, 34th Conference on Radar Meteorology, 5-9 October, Amer. Meteor. Soc., Williamsburg, Virginia, P1.6.
- Roberts, B.C., K.M. McGrath, B. Starr, J. Brandon, 2009: Upper Atmospheric Monitoring for Ares I-X Ascent Loads and Trajectory Evaluation on the Day-of-Launch. Preprint, 1st Atmospheric and Space Environments Conference, 22-25 June, AIAA, San Antonio, Texas, AIAA-2009-3781
- Jones, T.A., K.M. McGrath, J.T. Snow, 2004: Association between NSSL Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm-Detected Vortices and Tornadoes. Weather and Forecasting, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 872-890.
- McGrath, K.M., T.A. Jones, J.T. Snow, 2002: Increasing the Usefulness of a Mesocyclone Climatology. Preprints, 21st Conference on Severe Local Storms, 12-16 August, Amer. Meteor. Soc., San Antonio, Texas, 5.4.
- Jones, T.A., K.M. McGrath, J.T. Snow, 2002: Improved Methodology for Correlating Mesocyclone Detections with Tornadoes. Preprints, 21st Conference on Severe Local Storms, 12-16 August, Amer. Meteor. Soc., San Antonio, Texas, 5.5.
