Natalia N. Solorzano holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil, as well as a Master of Science in Meteorology and a doctorate in Space Geophysics from the National Institute for Space Research in Brazil. She was previously a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of Washington and an Assistant Professor at Bard High School Early College. She conducts research, often with DigiPen students, in atmospheric physics and physics-based simulation. Her research interests include atmospheric electricity and lightning, the global atmospheric circuit, passive microwave remote sensing, and tropical cyclones.
Dr. Solorzano publishes her work in journals such as Atmospheric Environment, Atmospheric Research, Eos (Earth and Space Science News), and Geophysical Research Letters. She often gives invited and contributed presentations at meetings, including the American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, the IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Annual Meeting, and the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. She is a steering committee member of the atmospheric electricity section of the American Meteorological Society. In 2008, along with Jeremy Thomas, she was recipient of a Science and Math Improvement Grant from the Toshiba America Foundation. In 2017, they received the Amazon Catalyst Award of Merit, along with BS in Computer Science graduate Connor Bracy and Professor Robert Holzworth from the University of Washington. The project, a real-time tropical cyclone and lightning database, can be found at: http://wwlln.net/storms/. In the same year, Thomas and Solorzano were also awarded a National Science Foundation grant for the project “Collaborative Research: Balloon Campaign to Quantify Thunderstorm Effects on the Global Electric Circuit.”
At DigiPen, Dr. Solorzano is the chair of the Physics Department, chair of the Diversity Committee, and a member of the Faculty Senate Steering Committee. Her teaching philosophy is geared towards experiential learning, engaging students in critical thinking, and encouraging students to take ownership of their education. She also believes that cultural, economic, and social diversity enhance the learning environment, and she is committed to increasing the diversity of students and faculty.
Selected Publications from 2016-2017
- Solorzano, N. N., Thomas, J. N., Bracy, C. (2017), “Real-time monitoring of tropical cyclones with lightning and microwave imagery,” Eos, Project Update (manuscript accepted; in production phase Nov 2017).
- Solorzano, N. N., Thomas, J. N., Hutchins, M. L., and Holzworth R. H., (2016), “WWLLN lightning and satellite microwave radiometrics at 37 to 183 GHz: Thunderstorms in the broad tropics,” J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 121, 12,298–12,318, doi:10.1002/ 2016JD025374.