jmbeck.com
Curriculum Vitae
For an up-to-date version, contact me!
Education
Columbia University
Fu Foundation SEAS
August 2006 - Present
MS in Mechanical Engineering (GPA 3.7)
Expected Graduation: May 2007
- Focused on controls and robotics research and design
Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Science, May 2006
BS in Mechanical Engineering
BS in Physics
Minor in Mathematics
Overall GPA: 3.365 (Cum Laude)
In-Major GPA: 3.71
School of Art, May 2002
BFA in Communication Design
Professional Experience
Internship
Brake Align, Richmond VA
June 2005 - September 2005
- Designed automation software for quality control with LabView
- Developed a robust, scaleable application for future adaptation
- Improved the speed and sensitivity of robotic gage
Resident Assistant
Virginia Commonwealth University
August 2000 - May 2006
- Developed and implemented social programming to strengthen community
- Resolved roommate conflicts
- Advised and counseled students
- Enforced policy
Network Analyst - Student Technician
Virginia Commonwealth University
1999 - May 2004
- Designed and implemented efficiency procedures for numerous computing tasks
- Developed software distribution and repair procedures
- Configured and fixed equipment: desktop computers, printers, scanners, etc
- Troubleshot software errors and network failure
Freelance Artist + Graphic Designer
If you want to know more about my freelance design work, please contact me.
Research Experience
ARMA Laboratory, Columbia University
Graduate Research
Advisor: Dr. Nabil Simaan
September 2006 - Present
- Performed kinematic analysis and evaluation of magnetically actuated parallel robots
- Conducted mechanical design and optimization of parallel robots
Controls and Mechatronics Laboratory, VCU
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Advisor: Dr. Kam Leang
September 2005 - May 2006
- Designed experimental setups and data acquisition systems
- Modeled and interpreted experimental data
- Presented a paper at an SPIE conference in San Diego, CA
Energy Conversion Systems Laboratory, VCU
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Advisor: Dr. James Mcleskey
June 2004 - June 2005
- Developed methods for creation of organic photovoltaics
- Wrote LabView software for solar cell testing and characterization
Publications
James Beck, K. Leang, K.M. Mossi, "Hysteresis Characterization Using Charge Feedback Control for Lipca Actuators", Accepted to the SPIE, San Diego, August 2006. download paper | poster
Qiquan Qiao, Lianyong Su, James Beck, and James T. McLeskey, Jr., "Characteristics of Water Soluble Polythiophene: TiO2 Composite and its Application in Photovoltaics", Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, p. 094906, 2005. download paper
Qiquan Qiao, James Beck, Ryan Lumpkin, Jake Pretko, and James T. McLeskey, Jr., "A Comparison of Fluorine Tin Oxide and Indium Tin Oxide as the Transparent Electrode for P3OT/TiO2 Solar Cells", Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, in press.
Qiquan Qiao, James Beck, and James T. McLeskey, Jr., "Photovoltaic Devices from Self-doped Polymers," Proceedings of the SPIE, San Diego, August 2005.
Skills and Proficiencies
Applications: MATLAB, SolidWorks, ANSYS, Microsoft Office Suite, Dreamweaver, Flash,
Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXPress, InDesign, Fireworks
Operating Systems: All version of Windows and Mac OS, Slackware Linux
Languages: LabView, C, Java, MS Visual Basic, Pascal, HTML, PHP, JavaScript, Spanish