Felipe A. Colazo Petit's curriculum vitae summarizes his education and professional experience in physics. He holds a Master's degree in Physics from Fisk University and has worked as an associate test engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His experience includes designing, building, and testing detectors for studies of the cosmic microwave background and adaptive optics systems.
1. Curriculum Vitae
Felipe A. Colazo Petit
(615) 753-6024
felipe.a.colazo@gmail.com
Education
1. Fisk University, Nashville, TN. Master of Arts in Physics, August 2010 Thesis topic: “New
measurements of Zodiacal Light Doppler spectra with a Fabry-Perot Interferometer” Adviser: Dr.
Alexander Kutyrev, University of Maryland, College Park. MD. Dr Arnold Burger, Fisk University,
Nashville TN. Dr. Keivan Stassun, Vanderbilt University Nashville TN.
2. Fisk University, Nashville, TN Bachelor of Science in Physics May 2008
Professional Experience
1. Goddard Space Flight Center-NASA, Greenbelt Maryland. October 2012 to July 2016. Associate
Test Engineer for the Cosmological Large Angular Sky Survey (CLASS), Transition Edge Sensors
(TES). These TES are used as bolometers (power meters) in the study of the Cosmic Microwave
background. The main focus of the study is to measure the polarization of fluctuations present
and remaining from the initial moments of the universe’s expansion.
a. Design, order, build, and test light tight cold testing packages for Phononics detector
devices. (examples upon request).
b. Created new cost and time efficient thermal cycles for the test dewars.
c. Tested new silicon + aluminum devices for Critical temperature features, in personal
test device.
d. Tested and calibrated, via four wire measurement, uncalibrated Lake Shore Cernox,
Germanium, Ruthanium Oxide thermometers.
e. Familiar with engineering designing and drafting.
f. Very familiar with superconducting metals, and space appropriate materials.
2. Gemini South Observatory, La Serena, Chile 11 Month internship with Adaptive Optics group.
Aided in program modeling of image processing. Target selection and identification for the
testing of the Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) scientific instrument currently in
commission. Created and finalized target selection for the commissioning run to get Gemini
MCAO System (GeMS) operational in queue. Dr. E Edwards, Dr. R Carrasco, and Dr. B. Neichel
were my collaborators and direct advisers in the project.
Research Experience
1. GSFC- Greenbelt MD. Testing the development of Phononics detectors in newly design
prototype of test copper package with low pass filter. Phononics devices were tested at
cryogenic temperatures and read out through SQUID amplifiers feedback system. I co-designed
the copper packages and gave direct impute to the development and design evolution of the
Phononics devices. Catholic University of America, Washington DC In collaboration with NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD. “Chlorophyll emissions observations of plants to
2. study the production of CO2 and O2” Using Fabry-Perot interferometer the emissions of plants
can be measured through a narrow band filter.
2. Fisk University, Nashville, TN Graduate student, 2008-2010 Summer 2008-09-10, “High
Resolution Zodiacal Light Spectrometer with a Piezo Controlled Fabry-Perot Etalon. National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Goddard Space Flight Center, Colleg Park,
Maryland. Research Mentor Alexander Kutyrev. Set up of a high special, low spectral resolution
fabry-perot etalon. Along with the creation of LabView operation software for all components of
project. Fall 2006-2008, Fisk Altitude Achievement Missal Team (FAAMT). Build and operate
several scales sounding rockets to achieve an altitude of one (1) mile while performing onboard
experiments. Research Mentors Rudy Gostowski, Kent Wallace. Inet-collegial annual sounding
rocket competitions. Part of the Assembly and Airframe construction sub-team.
3. Summer 2007, “Calibrating and Comparing Data from Interferometric Bi-dimensional
Spectrometer (IBIS) of lines Na I 5896 Å, Fe I 7090 Å, & Ca II 8542 Å,” National Solar Observatory,
New Mexico. Research Mentor Han Uitenbroek. Process, clean, and analyze data taking in June
23-24 of 2007. All images were taking in sequence facilitation the compilation into a short
sequence film of a single wavelength from lower to upper solar atmosphere.
4. Summer 2006, “Diffuse X-Ray Background,” University of Wisconsin, Madison WI. Research
Mentor Dr. Dan McCammon, Astrophysics Dep. Re-enabled several instruments to work
cohesively as one unit to test and calibrate new transmission filter for an instrument destined to
fly in a sounding rocket to study low energy X-rays. Instruments included: High voltage
proportional counter, Vacuum tank with mechanical adjusters, Readout amplifier, vacuum
pumps of high and low atmospheric pressure, and wave analyzer.
Laboratory Skills
1. Design and construct vacuum cryogenic test dewars of several cold stage chambers. Integrated
with Puls Tube Coolers from Cryo Mechanics, and ADR units from different providers to reach
temperatures of roughly 80mK.
2. Group master operator of West bond bonder with wedge and ball bonding. Rated for flight able
instruments.
3. Expert in Solidwork drafting and designing. Proficient in CAD software.
4. LabVIEW engineering software proficient.
5. Beginner level (but very familiar) electrical board design with Express PCB.
6. Able to operate Oscilloscope, He and N gas leak checker from Pfeiffer Vacuum systems.
7. Very well versed in proper handling of electrical equipment (power supplies, electrical
generators, power tools, soldering, wiring, etc.) Queensgate Control Systems, amplifiers,
spectral lamps.
8. Trained in proper handling of optical instrument such as lenses, refractors, reflectors, micro-
motors, step motors.
9. Able to use Digital Volt Meter.
3. Mentoring and Tutoring
1. Fisk University, Nashville, TN Independent tutor in Physics, Mathematics and Spanish.
2. Training summer interns and personnel in proper usage in laboratory safety and equipment.
3. Training in proper soldering techniques for high performance electrical equipment.
4. Training in proper use of cryogenics and cryogenic equipment.
Presentations
1. “High spectral resolution Measurements of Doppler shift of Zodiacal Light,” Fisk Research Day,
Nashville TN, April, 2010.
2. “High spectral resolution Zodiacal Light Spectrometer with a Piezo Controlled Fabry-Perot
Etalon,” presented a poster at the National Society of Black Physicist (NSBP) and National
Society of Hispanic Physicist (NSHP) annual Joint meeting, Nashville TN, February, 2009.
3. Poster presentation, “Vibration Analysis on a Sounding Rocket.” Fisk Research Day, April, 2008.
4. Oral Presentation, “Calibrating and Comparing Data from Interferometric Bi-dimensional
Spectrometer (IBIS) of lines Na I 5896 Å, Fe I 7090 Å, & Ca II 8542 Å,” Keck North-East Astronomy
Consortium Symposium, Williams College, Williamstown MA, October, 2007.
5. “Testing x-ray filters for Diffuse X-Ray Background.”Oral presentation at the National Society of
Black Physicist (NSBP) and National Society of Hispanic Physicist (NSHP) annual Joint meeting,
Boston, MA, February 2007.
References
Upon request.