Jonathan I. Katz

Jonathan I. Katz is a Professor of Physics at Washington University in St. Louis, affiliated with the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University (1973) and has been a faculty member since 1986. His research spans astrophysics, climate science, and applied physics, with a focus on Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), climate engineering, and soft matter rheology. Notable achievements include pioneering work on FRB origins, geoengineering strategies, and the role of viscoelastic fluids in oil drilling. Katz has collaborated with institutions like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and served on advisory panels, including Secretary Chu’s Gulf of Mexico drilling crisis team. He has received the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (1977–1981) and Fulbright Senior Lecturer (1985–1986) awards.

Education: A.B. (Physics, Cornell, 1970), A.M. and Ph.D. (Astronomy & Space Sciences, Cornell, 1971–1973). Postdoctoral work at the Institute for Advanced Study (1973–1976). Prior roles include Associate Professor at UCLA (1976–1981) and consulting at JASON (1974–present). Research interests include astrophysical phenomena (e.g., gamma-ray bursts, neutron stars), climate data analysis, and fluid dynamics. His work on starch suspensions and ultrasonic rheology explores shear thickening and microstructural effects. He has advised students on climate trends, drought analysis, and soft matter experiments.

Scientific contributions include over 100 peer-reviewed articles, two books (e.g., *High Energy Astrophysics*), and popular works like *The Biggest Bangs*. Key areas include FRB emission mechanisms, climate intervention via stratospheric aerosols, and failure models in heterogeneous media. Katz’s interdisciplinary approach bridges astrophysics, engineering, and climate science, with ongoing projects in boundary layer hydrodynamics and fracture mechanics.