Alex Fritz, Sonde-Pi reception system

Alex achieved engineering excellence under time pressure to develop the Sonde-Pi reception system, a small, portable hardware system that captures data from balloon-borne instruments measuring pressure, temperature, water vapor, ozone, and aerosols in the upper atmosphere. Alex’s work substantially increased the volume of data collected, allowing for the transmission of 25% more water vapor data and 50% more aerosol data with a cost savings of 70%. Alex designed permanent Sonde-Pi reception systems that are now installed at NOAA balloon sites in Colorado, Hawaii, Alaska, New Zealand, and Reunion Island, as well as mobile Sonde-Pi reception systems that are used on field campaigns. These measurements are important for satellite validation and monitoring long-term changes in atmospheric composition. Alex also worked on software updates to improve data processing, collaborating with engineers in NOAA labs, technicians in Hawaii and Alaska, and researchers in New Zealand.