The West Australian published an article this week about physics professor Dr. Richard Sonnenfeld and grad student Dan Jensen. They are in Perth for four months studying lightning, thanks to a Fulbright Fellowship. Reporter Phoebe Pin interviewed Sonnenfeld at length about his research project. Sonnenfeld is giving a free public talk in Perth on March 5. 

Here is an excerpt of the article. Click the link at the bottom to read the full article. 

American duo set up in Kalgoorlie to research tower lightning strikes

Two American researchers will join Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s dedicated storm chasers in the coming months as they seek to better understand the behaviour of lightning.

New Mexico Tech’s Professor Richard Sonnenfeld and PhD candidate Dan Jensen (pictured at right) have been in town for two weeks as part of Curtin University’s Fulbright Scholarship Program which allows scholars from the US to undertake research in the areas of resources and energy in Australia.

Their work will focus on observing and understanding the attachment of lightning to tall structures and will help researchers at Curtin improve lightning protection of mine head frames, wind turbines, and other tall structures in the energy industry.

Professor Sonnenfeld said Kalgoorlie-Boulder was the ideal location to gather data about phenomena such as lightning.

Click here for the full article at The West Australian.