Physicist
Physicist

Biography

Jana Strasburg is a physicist for the National Security Directorate (NSD) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). She is responsible for stewarding PNNL’s fundamental physics and ultra-low background radiation detection capabilities—managing the staff, equipment, and laboratory spaces. 

Strasburg started at PNNL in 2003 as an intern working on laser-based detection of chemicals relating to nuclear nonproliferation. Over the years, she took on increasing responsibility from project contributor, task lead, project manager, to principal investigator. From 2008 to 2010 she did an off-site assignment in Washington, DC, as a technical advisor to the Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development. 

Upon returning to the laboratory, Strasburg’s focused on projects that bridged measurement science, information analytics, and data science. In 2013, she began to serve in organizational leadership within NSD—including technical group manager of the Applied Physics group, division portfolio lead for the Signature Science and Technology Division, and NSD chief science and technology officer on an acting assignment.

Strasburg also led the Q-Camp pilot program which developed new approaches to accelerate innovation at the laboratory. In 2017, Strasburg gave a TEDx Richland presentation discussing the pilot and the lessons learned. She continues to work with project leaders to catalyze diverse, multidisciplinary teams to develop new ideas and accelerate progress.

Research Interest

  • Innovation consulting
  • Innovation development
  • Instrumentation
  • Leadership and management
  • Optics
  • Physics
  • Research development
  • Strategic planning

Education

  • PhD in philosophy and physics, University of Washington
  • MS in physics, University of Washington
  • BS in physics, Pacific Lutheran University

Publications

2017

2011

  • Hohimer R.E., F.L. Greitzer, C.F. Noonan, and J.D. Strasburg. 2011. "CHAMPION: Intelligent Hierarchical Reasoning Agents for Enhanced Decision Support." In Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Semantic Technologies for Intelligence, Defense, and Security (STIDS 2011), November 16-17, 2011, Fairfax, Virginia, edited by PCG Costa and KB Laskey, 808, 36-43. Aachen:CEUR Workshop Proceedings. PNNL-SA-82834.

2009

  • Keller P.E., M.T. Batdorf, J.D. Strasburg, and W.W. Harper. 2009. "Simulation and Theory of Speckle Noise for an Annular Aperture Frequency-Modulation Differential-Absorption LIDAR (FM-DIAL) System." In Proceedings of the SPIE Volume 7324, Atmospheric Propagation VI, 7324, Art. No. 732404-1 - 732404-12. Bellingham, Washington:Proceedings of SPIE. PNNL-SA-65395. doi:10.1117/12.817698

2008

  • Murphy T., E.G. Adelberger, J. Battat, L. Carey, C.D. Hoyle, P. LeBlanc, and E. Michelsen, et al. 2008. "The Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation: Instrument Description and First Detections." Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 120, no. 863:20-37. PNNL-SA-56502.

2006

  • Batdorf M.T., J.D. Strasburg, W.W. Harper, and E.C. Golovich. 2006. "Turbulence induced scintillation studies at near and mid-infrared wavelengths." In Atmospheric Propagation III, April 20, 2006, Kissimmee, Florida, USA. Proceedings of SPIE, edited by Cynthia Y. Young and G. Charmaine Gilbreath, 6215. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE, International Society for Optical Engineering. PNNL-SA-49228. doi:10.1117/12.663976

2005

  • Strasburg J.D., and W.W. Harper. 2005. "Challenges in Infrared Remote Sensing." In Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices II, 5732, 144-151. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. PNNL-SA-44212.

2004

  • Harper W.W., and J.D. Strasburg. 2004. "Remote chemical sensing with quantum cascade lasers." In Sensors, and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C31) Technologies for Homeland Security and Homeland Defense III, Pts 1 and 2. Proceedings of the SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, 5403, 378-386. Bellingham, Washington:International Society for Optical Engineering. PNNL-SA-41010.
  • Strasburg J.D., and W.W. Harper. 2004. "Impact of Atmospheric Turbulence on Beam Propagation." In Laser Systems Technology II, Orlando, FL. Proceedings - SPIE the International Society for Optical Engineering., edited by William E Thompson & Richard L Brunson, 5413, 93-102. Bellingham, Washington:International Soc for Opt Engineering. PNNL-SA-41011.