Col Nathan B. Terry, PhD
Col Terry has a deep experience leading transition in a host of DoD programs including basic research into fiber and semiconductor lasers, active and passive electro-optic sensing, plasma physics, additive manufacturing, radio frequency sensing, computational electromagnetics, high energy lasers, and emerging precision navigation and timing technologies. His assignments include chief of wing analysis, graduate student, research physicist, deputy branch chief, branch chief, assistant professor, assistant to the chief scientist, high energy laser program manager, and military assistant to the Director of Defense Research and Engineering for Research and Technology in OSD. He is currently serving as the Director of the Center for Space Research and Assurance at the Air Force Institute of Technology, where he is a Senior Military Professor. Col Terry has conducted and published research on a variety of topics including lasers, non-linear optics, educational psychology, and nuclear deterrence.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
2001 Master of Science Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
2002 Air and Space Basic Course Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2007 Doctor of Philosophy Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2010 Air Command and Staff College by Correspondence
2016 Air War College by Correspondence
2019 Air Wall College in Residence, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
ASSIGNMENTS
2001-2003 Analyst, Chief Wing Analysis, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
2003-2007 Graduate Student, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2007-2010 Research Physicist, Deputy Branch Chief, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2010-2014 Assistant Professor, Director Center Physics Education Research, USAFA, Colorado
2014-2015 Lead Electro-Optic Infrared Strategic Advisor, Assistant to the Directorate Chief Scientist, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2015-2016 Air Desk Officer, MacDill AFB, Florida
2016-2018 Branch Chief, Antennas and Electromagnetics Technology, Sensors Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2018-2019 Air War College Student
2019-2020 Director, Precision Navigation and Timing; Program Manager, High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
2020-2021 Military Assistant, Director of Defense Research and Engineering for Research Technology, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
PUBLICATIONS
N. Terry, P. Cone, “Hypersonic Technology: An Evolution in Nuclear Weapons?”, Strategic Studies Quarterly, 14, 74-99, 2020.
N. Terry, K. De La Harpe, F. Kontur, “The Development of a Learning Gap between Students with Strong Prerequisite Skills and Students with Weak Prerequisite Skills”, Journal of College Science Teaching, 45, 34-40, 2016.
F. Kontur, K. De La Harpe, N. Terry, “Comment on “Benefits of Completing Homework for Students with Different Aptitudes in an Introductory Electricity and Magnetism course””, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res., 12, 028002, 2016.
F. Kontur, K. de La Harpe, and N. Terry, “Benefits of Completing Homework for Students with Different Aptitudes in an Introductory Electricity and Magnetism Course, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 11, 010105 (2015).
F. Kontur and N. Terry, “Motivating Students to do Homework”, The Physics Teacher, 52, 295, 2014.
C. Hessenius, N. Terry, M. Fallahi, J. Maloney, and R. Bedford, “Gain Coupling of Class-A Semiconductor Lasers,” Opt. Lett., 35, 3060, 2010.
M. Walton, N. Terry, J. Hader, J. Moloney, and R. Bedford, “Extraction of Semiconductor Microchip Differential Gain by use of Optical Pumped Semiconductor Laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 95, 111101, 2009.
M. Pochet, N. Naderi, N. Terry, V. Kovanis, L. Lester, “Dynamic Behavior of an injection-Locked Quantum-Dash Fabry-Perot Laser at Zero Detuning”, Optics Express, 17, 20623-30, 2009.
N. Naderi, M. Pochet, F. Grillot, N. Terry, V. Kovanis, and L. Lester, “Modeling the Injection-Locked Behavior of a Quantum Dash Semiconductor Laser,” IEEE J. of Sel. Top. in Quantum Electronics, 15, 563-71, 2009.
N. Terry, N. Naderi, M. Pochet, A. Moscho, L. Lester, and V. Kovanis, “Bandwidth Enhancement of Injection-Locked 1.3 um Quantum-Dot DFB Laser,” Electronics Lett., 44, 904-5, 2008.
N. Terry, K. Engel, T. Alley, T. Russell and W. Roh, “Beam Quality of the Stokes Output of Continuous-Wave Raman Fiber Amplifiers Using Multimode Fibers,” J. Opt. Soc. Amer. B, 25, 1430-6, 2008.
N. Terry, T. Alley, and T. Russell, “An Explanation of SRS Beam Cleanup in Graded-Index Fibers and the Absence of SRS Beam Cleanup in Step-Index Fibers,” Opt. Express, 15, 17509-19, 2007.
N. Terry, K. Engel, T. Alley, and T. Russell, “Use of a Continuous Wave Raman Fiber Laser in Graded-Index Multimode Fiber for SRS beam Combination,” Opt Express, 15, 602-7, 2007.
S. Voronov, I. Kohl, J. Madsen, J. Simmons, N. Terry, J. Titensor, Q. Wang, J. Peatross, “Control of Laser High-Harmonic Generation with Counterpropagating Light”, Phys. Rev. Lett., 87, 133902, 2001.