Dr. Brent McBride

Dr. Brent McBride

Affiliate Assistant Professor

Department of Physics Earth and Space Institute

College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences

He/Him/His/Himself

About

Dr. Brent McBride is a Research Scientist at the Earth and Space Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), in Baltimore, MD, USA. He has 12 years of experience in the development of Earth-observing small satellite remote sensors. Dr. McBride leads pre-launch and on-orbit calibration and validation for the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (HARP2) on the NASA PACE mission, the OreSat small satellite radiometer, and the GAPMAP line of commercial polarimeters for GRASP-Earth. Prior to his appointment at ESI, Dr. McBride supported MODIS cal/val as part of the MODIS Characterization and Support Team (MCST) with SSAI/NASA GSFC.

Research interests

I research new calibration and validation techniques for Earth observing remote sensors. These involve laboratory experiments, theoretical modeling, and analysis of on-orbit datasets from space, field campaigns, or ground-based instruments.

I also collaborate on several instrument intercomparison studies to cross-validate radiance and polarization measurements that will be eventually used to derive global climate products.

Finally, I develop new algorithms to invert multi-angle polarimetric data for cloud and aerosol microphysical properties. This work uses radiative transfer modeling or atmospheric simulations as validation.

Teaching interests

I currently do not teach classes, though I may in the future.

Potential classes:

Instrument Science - the relationship between detector measurements and physical quantities, calibration, validation, and uncertainty.

Satellites for Social Change - Honors College course that uses the multi-year observational record of several Earth science satellites to visualize markers of human activity from space (i.e. growth of ISIS, Amazon deforestation, overfishing and policy restrictions, sea ice melt, etc.). Emphasis on connecting satellite observations to society/policy.

Citizen Science for Earth Observations - explores ways to measure Earth's atmosphere and surface that are compatible with satellites, aircraft, or ground-based instruments. Emphasis on the integration and increase of science literacy in a community.

Education

  • Ph D, Atmospheric Physics — University of Maryland Baltimore County (2022)
    The Hyper Angular Rainbow Polarimeter: Calibration, Validation, and Advancements in Cloud Science
  • MS, Atmospheric Physics — University of Maryland Baltimore County (2017)
    Investigating Cloud Microphysical Properties with Hyper-Angular Imaging Polarimeter Measurements
  • BS, Physics — University of Maryland Baltimore County (2014)
  • Other, General Studies — Howard Community College (2011)

Publications

  • A new way to see the clouds: the hyper-angular rainbow polarimeter (HARP2) on the NASA PACE satellite mission 2025 Frontiers in Remote Sensing Rachel E Smith, Brent McBride, Xiaoguang Xu, Anin Puthukkudy, Noah Sienkiewicz, Jan D Cieslak, Lorraine A Remer, Roberto F Borda, Jose V Martins
  • HARP2 Pre-Launch Calibration Overview: The Effects of a Wide Field of View 2025 Atmospheric Measurements and Technology Noah Sienkiewicz, Jose V Martins, Brent McBride, Xiaoguang Xu, Anin Puthukkudy, Rachel Smith, Roberto F Borda
  • First results and on-orbit performance of the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter on the PACE satellite 2024 SPIE Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites XXVIII · 13192 Jose V Martins, Roberto F Borda, Anin Puthukkudy, Xiaoguang Xu, Noah SIenkiewicz, Rachel Smith, Brent McBride, Oleg Dubovik, Lorraine A Remer
  • Multi-angle and polarimetric characterization of various Earth surface types with the PACE HARP2 polarimeter SPIE · In Preparation; Not Yet Submitted Natalie McCourt, Brent McBride, Xiaoguang Xu, Anin Puthukkudy, Jose V Martins

Presentations

  • On-Orbit Performance Assessment of the HARP2 Multi-Angle Polarimeter on the NASA PACE Mission: Intercomparison with OCI and SPEXOne Instruments 2025 CalCon 2025 · SDL UTAH · Oral Presentation Anin Puthukkudy (Author & Presenter), Jose V Martins (Author), Xiaoguang Xu (Author), Brent McBride (Author)
  • The First Year of HARP2/PACE Performance Based on its Ground and On-Orbit Characterization 2025 CalCon 2025 · SDL UTAH · Oral Presentation Jose V Martins (Author), Roberto F Borda (Author), Noah Sienkiewicz (Author), Brent McBride (Author), Xiaoguang Xu (Author), Anin Puthukkudy (Author & Presenter), Rachel E Smith (Author), Lorraine A Remer (Author)
  • The First Year of the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (HARP2) on the NASA PACE mission: Performance, Science, and Synergy 2025 EGU 2025 · EGU · Oral Presentation Brent McBride (Author & Presenter), Jose V Martins (Author), Xiaoguang Xu (Author), Anin Puthukkudy (Author), Roberto F Borda (Author)
  • Aerosol and Surface Products from PACE Polarimeter HARP2 Observations using GRASP 2024 APOLO 2024 · Oral Presentation Anin Puthukkudy (Author & Presenter), Jose V Martins, Xiaoguang Xu, Noah Sienkiewicz, Brent McBride, Pavel Litvinov, David Fuertes, Oleg Dubovik
  • First Results and On-Orbit Performance of the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter on the PACE Satellite 2024 SPIE Sensors and Imaging · Oral Presentation Jose V Martins, Roberto F Borda, Noah Sienkiewicz, Xiaoguang Xu, Anin Puthukkudy (Author & Presenter), Rachel E Smith, Brent McBride, Oleg Dubovik, Lorraine A Remer
  • The measurement of aerosol and gases from space for climate and air pollution application 2024 SPIE Sensors and Imaging · Oral Presentation Jose V Martins, Oleg Dubovik, David Fuertes, Marcos Giralda, Lorraine A Remer, Xiaoguang Xu, Brent McBride

Grants and Contracts

  • PACE Activation 2026 NASA · Sponsored Research · Currently Under Review Brent McBride (Principal), Xiaoguang Xu (Co-Principal), Anin Puthukkudy (Co-Principal), Jennifer Smith (Supporting), Corey Carter (Supporting), Sara Krauss (Supporting), Todd Toth (Supporting), Kavita Mittapalli (Supporting), Andrew Sayer (Supporting)
  • Uncovering coccolithophore and diatom biogeochemical and ecological patterns with combined radiometry and multiangle polarimetry 2025 NASA · Sponsored Research · Funded Brent McBride (Co-Principal), Patrick Gray (Principal), Lorraine A Remer (Co-Principal), Emmanuel Boss (Co-Principal), Anin Puthukkudy (Supporting), Xiaoguang Xu (Supporting)
  • An AI-driven approach for retrieving aerosol and surface properties from HARP family of multi-angle polarimeter measurements 2025 UMBC · Sponsored Research · Funded Anin Puthukkudy (Principal), Jose V Martins (Supporting), Xiaoguang Xu (Supporting), Brent McBride (Supporting)
  • Establishing Altiplano Benchmark Sites for Vicarious Calibration of Satellite Polarimeters NASA · Sponsored Research · Currently Under Review Xiaoguang Xu (Principal), Brent McBride (Co-Principal), Jose V Martins (Co-Principal)

Courses Taught

  • Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere PHYS 335 · Fall 2025
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