Joshua Soneson

Applied mathematician and avid mountaineer


Solo ascent of Handies Peak 14053ft/4283m 7/2/05


I'm currently a postdoctoral fellow at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL), Division of Solid and Fluid Mechanics (DSFM). I'm developing software to model high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) devices so the FDA has in-house capabilities to verify data submitted by companies that wish to market HIFU devices. In this sense I help the FDA perform its regulatory mission. HIFU has applications in noninvasive tumor ablation, deep bleeder coagulation, localized drug delivery, etc.

I finished my PhD in applied mathematics at the University of Arizona in August 2005. My dissertation is "Optical Pulse Dyamics in Nonlinear and Resonant Nanocomposite Media"

My resume (as of summer '05)


My research interests include numerical analysis, computational physics, and nonlinear dynamics. I have worked in fiber optic communications, nonlinear optics, computational electromagnetics, Bose-Einstein condensation, and the visualization of large scale simulations.



I like climbing mountains.

I have climbed the highest peaks in the following states:
Arizona
California
Colorado
New Mexico

I have climbed 15 of the "14ers", 2 in California and 13 in Colorado:
Whitney
Shasta
Shavano
Sneffels
Columbia
Missouri
Handies
Redcloud
Sunshine
Blanca
Elbert
Longs
Huron
Belford
La Plata

Here are some summit shots:
(Click to make big and see more)

Mount Whitney, CA (Mountaineer's Route) 14497ft/4420m
with Nakul and Chris, 8/?/03



Wheeler Peak, NM, 7/?/03 (from Williams Lake) 13161ft/4011m
with Tomas, Pavel, and Nakul



Mount Wrightson, AZ, 1/?/02, 2/14/04 (via Madera Canyon) 9456ft/2882m
with Pasha (right pic)



Miller Peak, AZ, 1/18/04 (from Reef Townsite) 9466ft/2885m
with Andy



Mount Kimball, AZ, 1/25/04 (via Finger Rock Canyon) 7258ft/2212m
with Pasha and Yulia



The Window, AZ, 2/29/04 (via Ventana Canyon) 7300ft/2226m
with Misha



Rincon Peak, AZ, 3/28/04 (via Miller Creek) 8482ft/2585m
with Pasha



Humphreys Peak, AZ, 5/1/04 12633ft/3851m



Mount Shavano, CO, 6/6/04 (Angel of Shavano) 14236ft/4339m
first solo 14er!



Mount Sneffels, CO, 8/1/04 (south ridge) 14156ft/4315m
with Dima, Kate, Nakul, and Greg



Mount Columbia, CO, 8/15/04 (west slopes) 14073ft/4289m
with Dima, Cynthia, Max, Kata, and Tomas


Lake Peak, NM, 5/21/05 (Raven's ridge) 12409ft/3782 m


Mount Shasta, CA, 6/11/05 (Avalanche Gulch) 14162ft/4317m
with Rishi (and base camp support Chris and Jeremy)


Missouri Mountain, CO, 6/18/05 (C-coulior) 14073ft/4289m
with Jen and Mike (people I met on route)


Angry sheep chased us off the ridge on our way to Jicarita Peak, but Nakul, Hernan, Ignacio, and I had fun at
Serpent Lake 6/25/05

Triple 14er weekend! Handies, Redcloud, and Sunshine Peaks 7/2-3/05
my 7th, 8th, and 9th 14ers.


California Peak, CO, 7/16/05 (west ridge) 13849ft/4221m
with Ignacio


Blanca Peak, CO, 7/30/05 (north ridge) 14345ft/4372m
with Nakul, then with Steve


Mount Adams, CO, 8/7/05 (up northwest ridge, down southwest ridge) 13941ft/4249m
with Pasha


Mount Elbert, CO, 8/13/05 (east ridge) 14440ft/4401m
with Pasha and Kostya


Middle, Medio, and South Truchas Peaks, NM, 8/16/05 (Quemado creek approach) 13102ft/3993m
with Pasha and Kostya


Longs Peak, CO, 8/19/05 (Keyhole) 14261ft/4347m


Browns and Huron Peaks, CO, 8/20/05 (north ridge) 14012ft/4271m