Bio
Dr. Kenneth Hart is an Assistant Professor of Meteorology in the Department of Physics and Meteorology at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Dr. Hart was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program as a Distinguished Graduate at Penn State University in 1989. He later earned a Master of Science degree from Colorado State University and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Utah, both while serving as an AF-sponsored graduate student.
Dr. Hart served for over 20 years as an Air Force Weather officer in a variety of assignments including Weather and Space Environmental Forecaster for NORAD/USSPACECOM at Peterson Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Atmospheric Profile Models Chief at Offutt Air Force Base, Assistant Professor of Meteorology and Director of Geosciences at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and Weather Flight Commander at McChord Air Force Base. After retiring from Active Duty, Dr. Hart served as a Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) Analyst for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in Denver, Colorado, and most recently as the Environmental Monitoring Current Operations Branch Chief for Space Operations Command at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Meteorology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (2004)
Master of Science, Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Ft Collins, Colorado (1994)
Bachelor of Science, Meteorology, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania (1989)
Professional Experience
Chief, Environmental Monitoring Current Operations Branch, HQ Space Operations Command, Colorado Springs, Colorado (2020-2022)
METOC Analyst, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Denver, Colorado (2012-2020)
Director of Geosciences, Department of Economics and Geosciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2006-2011)
Assistant Professor of Meteorology, Department of Economics and Geosciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2004-2006)
Weather Flight Commander, 62d Airlift Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Washington (1999-2001)
Assistant Professor of Meteorology, Department of Economics and Geography, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (1996-1999)
Atmospheric Profile Models Team Chief, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska (1994-1996)
Weather and Space Environmental Forecaster, Peterson Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Colorado (1989-1992)
Honors & Awards
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation
USAFA Outstanding Academy Educator Award in Economics and Geography
Research and Scholarly Interests
Cloud Analysis and Forecasting
Mountain Meteorology
Publications
Hart, K.A. and M.C. McMahon, 2010: USAFA Geospatial Science and the GEOINT Certificate. GEOINT Symposium 2010, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Hart, K. A., W. J. Steenburgh, and D. J. Onton, 2005: Model forecast improvements with decreased horizontal grid spacing over fine-scale intermountain orography during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Wea. Forecasting, 20, 558-576.
Hart, K. A., W. J. Steenburgh, D. J. Onton, and A. J. Siffert, 2004: An evaluation of mesoscale-model-based model output statistics (MOS) during the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Wea. Forecasting, 19, 200-218.
Hart, K. A., W. J. Steenburgh, D. J. Onton, and A. J. Siffert, 2004: The impact of model resolution improvements and statistical forecast techniques on mesoscale prediction during the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. 20th Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting / 16th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction, Seattle, Washington, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Hart, K. A., J. W. Harris, and B. E. Heckman, 1999: The integration of educational technologies in a multidiscipline geosciences course. Preprints, 8th Symposium on Education, Dallas, Texas, Amer. Meteor. Soc.
Heckman, B. E., K. A. Hart, and J. W. Harris, 1999: Using focus groups and small group instructional diagnosis methods to evaluate higher education courses. Preprints, 8th Symp. on Education, Dallas, Texas, Amer. Meteor. Soc.