Paul Kintner, professor of electrical and computer engineering, will advise the U.S. government on global positioning systems (GPS), space weather, navigation satellite systems and other defense-related topics this year as a U.S. Department of State Jefferson Science Fellow.

Kintner, who heads Cornell's Global Positioning System Laboratory, is spending this academic year in Washington, D.C., working in the State Department's Office of Space and Advanced Technology and Office of International Communications and Information Policy. He is one of 10 Jefferson fellows selected from more than 50 applicants.

In particular, he will advise on the technical impacts of the European Galileo and Chinese Global Navigation Satellite Systems on GPS. He also will advise the department on the potential dangers of purposeful interference of GPS and navigation satellite systems signals.

Kintner also will work to better coordinate space weather predictions with other countries and integrate space weather awareness into the work of civilian and Department of Defense satellite operators.

A member of the Cornell faculty since 1981, Kintner investigates the interaction of radio signals, both natural and man-made, with space environments, particularly the ionsophere and magnetosphere. His studies include the effect of the space environment on GPS signals.

Now in its sixth year, the Jefferson Science Fellows program seeks to engage American academics in science, technology and engineering in forming and implementing U.S. foreign policy. The program is administered by the National Academies and supported through a partnership between the scientific academic community, professional scientific societies and the Department of State.

After his fellowship year, Kintner will be expected to remain available to the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Agency for International Development for short-term projects over the following five years.