Sara F. Martin

Sara graduated in 1961 from Michigan Technological University with a Bachelor's degree in Physics and extended her education at UCLA in Astronomy from 1962-1964. She began her career as a Student Research Assistant at McMath-Hubert Observatory. After graduating from Michigan Tech, she accepted a position as an Associate Scientist with the solar astronomy group at the new research center of the Lockheed California Company and continued there through promotions to Scientist and Senior Scientist in Solar Physics. When the Solar Physics group became a part of the Lockheed Research Facility in Palo Alto, Sara remained in Southern California as a consultant with the Lockheed group and initiated new projects as a Research Scientist at Spectra Optics.

When the Aerospace Company donated the San Fernando Observatory to Cal State Northridge, Sara was invited to join Cal State Northridge as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy. In 1981, Sara became a Senior Scientist and Member of the Professional Staff at the California Institute of Technology and conducted research for the Big Bear Solar Observatory until she took early retirement from Caltech in 1995.

Together with her husband, Douglas Martin, and several colleagues, she established the new non-profit corporation, Helio Research, with the overall purpose of engaging in research and education in the astronomical sciences. Ms. Martin continues solar research today as Senior Scientist and President of Helio Research, along with operating the 25 cm solar telescope designed and constructed by Douglas Martin for Helio Research.

In 2010, under the direction of Sara Martin, Helio Research began a current collaboration with the University of Utrecht for extensive observing and research on solar filaments and prominences at the Dutch Open Telescope in the Canary Islands.

Ms. Martin is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the Astrononomical Society of the Pacific, and has served as a Committee Member for the Solar Physics Division of AAS, an Associate Editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, a Member of the Editorial Board of Solar Physics Journal, and a Member of the Board of Stony Ridge Observatory.

Other activities have included production of a movie "Solar Prominence Research" with co-author P.W. Tracadas; creation of "The Sun: A Tutorial" (which is included on the web site under "Education") with Instructor David Hurst and students of Glendale Community College; and participation in asteroid post-discovery observations at Stony Ridge Observatory.

Ms. Martin has authored and co-authored numerous papers in journals such as Solar Physics, Journal of Geophysical Research, Nature, Annals of Geophysics, and Advanced Space Research, and has produced and presented papers and presentations for numerous meetings and conferences on solar research.

Olga Panasenco

Olga received her Master of Science in Physics in 1992 and PhD in the Department of Physics, Moscow State University in 1999. Before joining Helio Research in 2007, Olga worked as a Research Fellow at the Moscow University Institute of Nuclear Physics and in the Visitor Program at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematic Sciences in Cambridge.

Ms. Panasenco is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the Moscow Mathematical Society, and taught lectures and seminars for graduate students at Moscow State University Department of Physics.

Her research expertise is in the areas of plasma physics, the motion of charged particles in the medium with collided shocks, and magnetic configuration of the extended solar corona in the solar wind formation region. Current research interests include solar and heliospheric physics, coronal loops, the multi-connected global electric circuit on the Sun, and solar-terrestrial physics.

Ms. Panasenco has co-authored articles and papers in Astronomy Reports, Advanced Space Research, Romanian Astronomical Journal, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Solar System Research, and Cosmic Research. In addition, she has participated in and made presentations at proceedings and meetings for the field of solar research.