Education:

  • M.S. Physics, University of Texas at San Antonio, 2021
  • B.S. Physics, Missouri Southern State University, 2016

Currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Physics with emphasis on Space Physics planning to graduate in 2022.

Dissertation Title: Electron Scale Magnetic Reconnection on Earth’s Dayside using NASA’s MMS mission – emphasis on the transport of energy and momentum from the solar wind into the magnetosphere, electric fields, and reconnection rates.

Dissertation Advisor: Stephen Fuselier

Research Interest:

  • Magnetic Reconnection on the day side of Earth’s Magnetopause

Publications:

Pritchard, K. R., Burch, J. L., Fuselier, S. A., Webster, J. M., Torbert, R. B., Argall, M. R., et al. (2019). Energy conversion and electron acceleration in the magnetopause reconnection diffusion region. Geophysical Research Letters, 46. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084636

Fuselier, S. A., Trattner, K. J., Petrinec, S. M., Pritchard, K. R., Burch, J. L., Cassak, P. A., Pritchard, K.P et al. (2019). Stationarity of the reconnection X‐line at Earth’s magnetopause for southward IMF. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124, 8524–8534. https://doi.org/ 10.1029/2019JA027143

Burch, J. L., Webster, J. M., Hesse, M., Genestreti, K. J., Denton, R. E., & Phan, T. D., Pritchard, K. P., et al. (2020). Electron inflow velocities and reconnection rates at Earth’s magnetopause and magnetosheath. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL089082. https://doi. org/10.1029/2020GL089082

Burkholder B. L., Nykyri, K., Ma, X., Rice, R., Fuselier, S. A., & Trattner, K. J., Pritchard, K. P., et al. (2020). Magnetospheric Multiscale observation of an electron diffusion region at high latitudes. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL087268. https://doi.org/ 10.1029/2020GL087268

S.A. Fuselier, J. M. Webster, K. J. Trattner, S. M. Petrinec, K. J. Genestreti, K. R. Pritchard, et al. (2021). Reconnection x-line orientations at the Earth’s magnetopause. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029789

Fun Facts: 

  • I was born in the back seat of a ’67 Chevelle in the middle of nowhere.
  • I don’t hate peas or brussel sprouts.
  • My daughter is my best friend.