Nathaniel Newby '00
Biomedical Engineer
Neurosciences Laboratory, Johnson Space Center
Position Description:
The principal purpose of my position is to provide engineering support for
the Neurosciences Laboratory spatial orientation and balance control experiments. The
Neurosciences Laboratory is a component of the Space Physiology and Countermeasures
Department, which implements the scientific objectives of the Human Adaptation and
Countermeasures Office at the Johnson Space Center.
Necessary education or experience:
The minimum education is a master's degree in
biomedical engineering or a closely allied engineering field, but a Ph.D. is preferred. The position
requires several years of experience in physiology or related physiological studies.
Key skills that are necessary to be successful in your position:
The individual holding this position should be skilled in the design, testing, evaluation and integration of biomechanical instrumentation
intended for use with human subjects. Experience with biomedical instrumentation and
measurements, real-time data acquisition systems and signal processing also is needed. The
individual should be familiar with motorized human diagnostic devices (e.g., centrifuge, rotational
chairs) including human safety and factor engineering aspects. The individual must have a
sufficiently advanced knowledge of human physiology to understand biomedical experiments
designed to characterize the human response to space flight and the development of appropriate
countermeasures.
The individual must have advanced computer skills including the ability to develop data acquisition and analysis software for specific laboratory applications. Familiarity with mathematical modeling of human movement through the use of multibody kinematics algorithms and software is highly desired. The individual should be able to evaluate commercial software for potential research applications. Previous experience with Matlab and/or C programming also is a requirement.
The individual is expected to participate as a member of a research team working closely with principal investigators, support scientists and other engineers. Communication skills should be excellent.
A description of your path to your current position:
My path began with education. I obtained a B.S. in biomedical engineering from MSOE and went on to earn an M.S. in aeronautics
and astronautics from MIT. In graduate school, beyond additional academic knowledge, I
obtained research and laboratory skills that are important to the position I have now.
Good (and bad) aspects of your current position:
One of the great things about my job is that I am given a great deal of intellectual freedom. While there is a significant amount of work to
be done in order to achieve the specific objectives of the lab, I am afforded both the time and
opportunity to test and explore my own research ideas across a wide latitude of disciplines.
What do you enjoy about your current position?
One of the truly enjoyable aspects of this job is working with the U.S. astronaut population. I also enjoy conducting space-related biomedical
engineering research and developing countermeasures to the debilitating effects of long-duration
space travel on human physiology.
On MSOE and Biomedical Engineering
Do you think a degree in BE is a good choice?
I do think a degree in BE is a good
choice for those who are interested in applying engineering and mathematical skills to
medical/physiological problems. This is an exciting time to be in this field, as new discoveries and
methodologies continue to change the way human health is maintained.
Do you think MSOE is a good choice of colleges?
MSOE is a great choice for several reasons. The faculty are very knowledgeable and extremely accessible. Class sizes are
small allowing for strong bonds to develop with fellow students and more one-on-one time
with professors. MSOE is located at the center of a great city with many things to do within
walking distance of the campus.
Why did you choose MSOE's BE program?
I ultimately chose the BE program at MSOE
because the curriculum most closely matched my educational objectives.
What did you like about the BE program?
The thing I liked best about the BE program is
that it challenged me. It was a struggle to get through this program, and you end up with so many
benefits both educationally and personally as a result of this struggle.
Now that you have graduated and are in the workforce, are
you happy with the education that you received in the BE program at MSOE?
I am very pleased with the training I received. I brought a stronger skill set than most to graduate
school and I rely upon much of my undergraduate education to accomplish goals in my current
position.
| For information about MSOE's B.S. in Biomedical Engineering program, contact interim program director Dr. Charles Tritt at (414) 277-7421. |