Bio
BioDr. Ian J. Cohen is a Principal Professional Staff member and supervisor of the Solar and Space Physics Group within APL’s Space Exploration Sector. His research interests focus on experimental space physics, specifically including magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling (e.g., ion outflow, auroral dynamics, and ionospheric feedback), energetic particle dynamics, and plasma and energetic particle instrumentation. He is very interested in mission concept and instrument development and currently serves as lead for the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) Investigation aboard NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission and as deputy project scientist for NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission.
In addition to his mission leadership roles and research interests, Dr. Cohen is active in community leadership in solar and space physics advocacy. As chair of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) Section’s Advocacy Committee, he coordinates engagement and messaging between the solar and space physics community and stakeholders and policymakers to educate on and promote the benefits of solar and space physics research.
Notable Awards and Leadership
Notable Awards and Leadership| Year(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Year(s) 2024 - Present | Description Member, NOAA Space Weather Advisory Group (SWAG) |
| Year(s) 2024 - Present | Description Member, NASA Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) Steering Committee |
| Year(s) 2022 - 2024 | Description Member, Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics) 2024-2033: Panel on the Physics of Magnetospheres |
| Year(s) 2022 | Description COSPAR Outstanding Paper Award for Young Scientists for “Rocket Investigation of Current Closure in the Ionosphere (RICCI): A novel application of CubeSats from a sounding rocket platform” |
| Year(s) 2021 - Present | Description Lead, Heliophysics Coalition |
| Year(s) 2021 - Present | Description Member, Executive Committee of the NASA LWS Program Analysis Group (LPAG) |
| Year(s) 2021 - Present | Description Member, NSF Geospace Environment Modeling Steering Committee |
| Year(s) 2021 | Description American Geophysical Union Local Science Partners Cohort |
| Year(s) 2020 - Present | Description Chair, American Geophysical Union Space Physics & Aeronomy Section Advocacy Committee |
| Year(s) 2014 - Present | Description Member, Scientist Network, NSF Aurorasaurus Project |
| Year(s) 2013 - Present | Description Member, American Astronomical Society Solar Physics Division Public Policy Committee |
| Year(s) 2013 - 2015 | Description Student Representative, NSF Geospace Environment Modeling Steering Committee |
| Year(s) 2013 | Description NASA Student Ambassador |
| Year(s) 2011 - 2013 | Description Graduate Student Researchers Program (GSRP) fellowship, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center |
