Lansing Horan IV

  • Program Year: 2
  • Academic Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Field of Study: Plasma Physics / Nuclear Engineering
  • Academic Advisor: Jack Hare
  • Practicum(s):
    Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (2024)
  • Degree(s):
    M.S. Nuclear Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2020; B.S. Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2018

Publications

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PUBLICATIONS
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1) Lansing S. Horan IV. "Counting to Nuclear Zero is Hard: How Can the World Prepare to Verify the Absence of Nuclear Weapons?" On The Horizon, 2023, Volume 5, Pages 96-114. https://www.csis.org/analysis/horizon-vol-5-collection-papers-next-generation
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2) Lansing S. Horan IV, Darren E. Holland, Megan Bruck Syal, James E. Bevins, Joseph V. Wasem. "Impact of neutron energy on asteroid deflection performance." Acta Astronautica, 2021, Volume 183, Pages 29-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.02.028
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3) Lansing S. Horan IV, Darren E. Holland, Megan Bruck Syal, Joseph V. Wasem, Michael L. Dexter, James E. Bevins. "Neutron Energy Effects on Asteroid Deflection." 2020 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2020, Pages 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1109/AERO47225.2020.9172255
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CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
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A) Invited Talks & Oral Presentations
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A1) 2023 APS Division of Plasma Physics (DPP), October-November 2023. Denver, CO. https://www.aps.org/meetings/meeting.cfm?name=DPP23
- "Synthetic shadowgraphic imaging for Magnetic Reconnection on Z (MARZ) experiments" (poster)
- Poster Session VIII: High Energy Density Plasma Science
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A2) Z Fundamental Science Program Workshop 2023, August 2023. Albuquerque, NM. https://www.sandia.gov/pulsed-power/workshop-2023/
- "Synthetic shadowgraphic imaging for MAgnetic Reconnection on Z (MARZ) experiments" (poster)
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A3) 2023 DOE NNSA SSGF/LRGF Annual Program Review, June 2023. San Francisco, CA. https://www.krellinst.org/ssgf/conf/2023
- "Shadowgraphy imaging to infer electron density profiles in high-energy-density plasmas on Sandia's Z Machine" (poster)
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A4) Workshop for Applied Nuclear Data Activities (WANDA 2021), January 2021. Virtual (COVID-19 protocol). https://conferences.lbl.gov/event/504/
- "Neutron Energy Effects on Asteroid Deflection" (invited talk)
- Host: Nuclear Data Interagency Working Group (NDIAWG), led by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Physics
- Session Four: "Intro to Nuclear Data for Space Application"
- Chairs: Dr. Mary Burkey (LLNL), Dr. Lawrence Heilbronn (UTK), Dr. Patrick Peplowski (JHUAPL)
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A5) 2020 IEEE Aerospace Conference, March 2020. Big Sky, Montana. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9172334
- "Neutron Energy Effects on Asteroid Deflection" (invited talk)
- Track 2: "Space Missions, Systems and Architectures"
- Session 2.12: "Asteroid Detection, Characterization, Sample-Return, and Deflection"
- Organizers: Dr. Paul Chodas (NASA JPL), Mr. Jeffery Webster (NASA JPL)
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A6) LLNL Poster Symposiums and LLNL WCI Directorate Briefings, August 2017 + August 2018. Livermore, California.
- August 2017: "Nuclear Weapon Yield Analysis: Fireball Size Correlations" (2x Oral Presentations: poster + talk)
- August 2018: "Correlating the Nuclear Fireball Size to the Explosive Yield" (2x Oral Presentations: poster + talk)
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B) Accepted Abstracts & e-Presentations
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B1) International Academy of Astronautics Planetary Defense Conference (IAA PDC 2021), April 2021. Virtual (COVID-19 protocol). https://iaaspace.org/event/7th-iaa-planetary-defense-conference-2021/
- "Neutron Energy Effects on Asteroid Deflection" (abstract + e-Poster)
- Host: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA)
- Session 7a: "e-Posters: Deflection & Disruption Testing"
- Chairs: Dr. Patrick Michel (CNRS), Dr. Angela Stickle (JHUAPL), Dr. Megan Bruck Syal (LLNL)
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Awards

(1)
Letter of Commendation, MIT Department of Nuclear Science & Engineering (NSE), January 2023.
- In recognition of outstanding performance during the Fall Term 2022

(2)
Joseph P. Kearney Memorial Fund Fellowship, MIT Department of Nuclear Science & Engineering (NSE), September 2022 -- December 2022.
- Supports research in NSE which contributes to practical applications of nuclear science and technology and to the strengthening of nuclear safeguards and security
- Statistics (Fall 2022 Enrollment): 1 of 14.5 internal NSE fellowships out of 122 graduate students

(3)
Exemplary Civilian Service Award (ECSA), Department of the Air Force, August 2022.
- Formal certificate citation & commemorative bronze medal "in recognition [of] distinguished performance in support of the United States Air Force"
- Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), 23rd Analysis Squadron (23 ANS)

(4)
SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program,
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD),
August 2018 -- May 2020.
- The Science, Mathematics, And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program is a merit-based national fellowship funded by the DoD
- Provides full tuition, $33,000+ annual stipends for master's degree students, & guaranteed employment with the DoD upon graduation
- Sponsoring Facility: Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC)
- 2018 Cycle Statistics: 382 awards out of 12,665 total applications received (3% acceptance rate) and 2,122 complete applications reviewed (18% award rate)

(5)
Distinguished Graduate of the Class 20M,
Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT),
March 2020.
- Criteria encompasses academic scores, the "whole person" concept based on professional qualities, and the Department Heads' recommendation (no more than 10% of each graduating class)
- 22 awards out of 227 total students graduating with AFIT master's degrees (March 2020)

(6)
Civilian of the 3rd Quarter,
Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT),
July 2019 -- September 2019.
- 1 award out of 160 total civilian students enrolled (Summer 2019 Academic Quarter)

(7)
Summa Cum Laude (Cumulative GPA 3.9+),
Texas A&M University (TAMU),
May 2018.
- 126 awards out of 2,529 total engineering students graduating with bachelor's degrees (2017-2018 Academic Year)

(8)
Rottler & LaCroix Scholarship,
Texas A&M University (TAMU),
August 2017 -- May 2018.
- Competitive $1,000 nuclear engineering departmental scholarship awarded to a select few undergraduate students for academic achievement
- 3 awards (of 28 total students with any various departmental scholarship) out of 308 total undergraduate nuclear engineering students (Fall 2017 enrollment)

(9)
Engineering Honors Program Graduate,
Texas A&M University (TAMU),
August 2015 -- May 2018.
- Competitive admission limited to top ~10% of each class
- Graduation requirements include undergraduate research, GPA 3.5+, honors course credits, annual reports, etc.