JANUS Team Member Robert Kummerer Celebrates 15 Years
03/15/2025
Principal Engineer for AER Ground Systems and Missions Operations-3 (GSMO-3), Robert "Bob" Kummerer is celebrating 15 years with JANUS Research Group (JANUS). Bob's first job with AER (Atmospheric & Environmental Research), recently acquired by JANUS, was as a software engineer working on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)-R Series. Bob began in the early days of the GOES-R program as a Ground Systems software developer, designing, coding, and testing a wide variety of weather algorithms. Once the GOES-16 satellite reached orbit and became operational, Bob's role progressed to one of software support, data analysis, and maintenance for Ground Systems operations, supporting all four GOES-R satellites, with the last, GOES-19, planned for operations as GOES-East in April 2025.
In his 15 years, Bob has contributed to three significant projects. GOES-R is NOAA's latest generation of GOES satellites and the nation's most advanced fleet of geostationary weather satellites. Ground Systems and Mission Operations-3 (GSMO-3) includes systems engineering, facility engineering, launch and early orbit support, flight operations, flight dynamics support, and sustaining engineering for NASA. Bob's work with the NESDIS Common Cloud Framework (NCCF) represents his latest project and includes integrating the GOES Derived Motion Winds BUFR processor and the GAASP Sea Ice algorithm.
GOES-R has provided some memorable challenges for Bob. The winds algorithm was unable to produce accurately geolocated positions of prospective wind vectors. Through a long process, Bob and his team were able to determine the cause of the failure and create a robust set of projection equations that permitted the necessary accurate geolocation computations to be performed.
In the last 15 years, Bob has had many notable achievements and gained recognition for his work. Some of his awards and recognition include: FY17 Q4 GOES-R Outstanding Team (9-person team), FY19 Q4 GOES-R Outstanding Team (11-person team), and 2020 NOAA Bronze Medal for NESDIS Scientific/Engineering Achievement (11-person team). His enthusiasm for working with GOES-R Ground System weather algorithms contributed significantly to their successful operation in the GOES-R Ground System and contributed to the company's continued involvement in the GOES-R program. Bob's love for what he does is driven by the knowledge that he is contributing in some small way to the understanding of climate change and perhaps toward its eventual resolution.
His passion for what he does makes Bob an invaluable team member, critical to many of the successes of the GOES-R program. He has truly embodied the term "subject matter expert," developing and demonstrating a detailed understanding of the scientific algorithms that drive the GOES-R Ground System. Instrumental at every step of the software development process, Bob continues to spearhead and support new software procedures used across the GOES-R algorithm suite and across the team.
Outside of work, Bob continues to pursue interests and hobbies related to his passion for the environment. A certified scuba diver since 1987, Bob has volunteered as a diver for the National Aquarium in Baltimore where he helped maintain aquarium exhibits, fed exhibit animals, and assisted the veterinary staff in medical procedures. He also participated as a volunteer diver for a study conducted by UC Berkeley scientists in Moorea, French Polynesia where he collected data pertaining to the behavior of the fire goby reef fish. If that is not enough, as a member of the Marine Mammal Rescue team at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Bob helped with the successful rehabilitation and release of "Inky" the pygmy sperm whale, marking the first successful rehabilitation of a pygmy sperm whale.
Whether at the office or in his community, Bob is the epitome of the JANUS ethos, and we are proud to recognize his accomplishments over the last 15 years. We look forward to his continued excellence as a technical leader within the AER unit of JANUS.
