Curriculum Vitae – A Belmont Report

Summary

Biomedical engineer with 5+ years of experience in hardware and software research development for electro-mechanical medical device systems. Expertise in non-invasive physiological monitoring, (bio)signal and image processing, and medical manufacturing. I believe the skills, education, and experience listed here demonstrate my capabilities, and for what I don’t know, may I have the capacity to learn.

Skills

Beginner: Adobe Creative Cloud; CAD; embedded systems; FEA/FEM; IP development/prosecution; manufacturing (additive, traditional); PCB schematic and layout

Intermediate: bio-signal processing; cross-discipline communication; electronic instrumentation and analysis; GMP; image analysis (CV, ML); LabVIEW; physiological monitoring; project management; teaching; team-building; technical editing; ultrasound imaging; video-conferencing; writing

Advanced: bioimpedance; data acquisition/analysis; experimental design; MATLAB; Office suites (MSFT, Google)

Education

Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2016
- Thesis: Multimodal Noninvasive Hemodynamic Monitoring
- Focus: biomedical manufacturing; medical device design/build/evaluation; medical instrumentation; physiological measurement; ultrasound image analysis
M.S., Biomedical Engineering from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2012
B.S., Mechanical Engineering from University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 2010
B.S., Biology from University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 2010

Experience

Associate Research Engineer at Global Health Labs, Seattle, WA / Remote, April 2022 – September 2023

Developed, verified, and experimentally validated health solutions (e.g., electromechanical medical devices) for low resource settings

Lecturer at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI / Remote, August 2017 – May 2022

Taught 6 distinct undergraduate biomedical engineering courses (primarily in electronics, mechanics, and laboratory methods) to approximately 800 students, the majority of which included discussion- and/or laboratory-based components
Worked with several small teams of Instructional Aides (approx. 20 total) to ensure efficient operation of classes via regular meetings, coordinated workloads, and open communication
Led a series of over 75 public roundtable “bioethics discussions” across a wide spectrum of topics, fostering informed and inclusive conversations on controversial contemporary issues
Co-drafted framework of revised undergraduate curriculum including modular ‘Depth’ model
Taught an introductory undergraduate engineering design course focused on biopotential acquisition at the Joint Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China
Was awarded a Provost Teaching Innovation Prize for introducing a more “humanistic” form of engineering education that emphasized real-world narratives and consequences

Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA, 2017

Assessed tip strength optimization for chronically implanted silicon neural probes via FEA
Studied electrochemical interface effects for biological probes (cyclic voltammetry, in vivo)
Performed particle image velocimetry experiments of simulated environment to determine accrual patterns of circulating tumor cells within human aorta

Scientific Advisor at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Palo Alto, CA, May – Dec. 2016

Drafted and prosecuted patents for early-stage businesses creating medical devices
Performed due diligence and freedom-to-operate analyses for clients as necessary

Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI / Remote, Feb. – May 2016

Refined a small (“wearable”) electronic device to measure human bioimpedance accurately in both bipolar and tetrapolar configurations, producing a small batch used in animal and clinical trials to explore new vital signs such as intracranial pressure’s relation to EOG signals
Gained familiarity with good documentation/manufacturing processes and regulatory requirements (FDA QSR, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, IEC 60601)
Draft two successfully funded NIH proposals

Graduate Student Research Assistant for Biomedical Manufacturing and Design Laboratory / Wu Manufacturing Research Center at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2011 – 2016

Researched and refined a precise non-invasive measure of intravascular volume status based on a subject’s bioelectrical impedance through small clinical trials (n < 200) with a cross-disciplinary team of emergency medicine physicians, nephrologists, and engineers
Led an engineering team of four in the creation of a wearable electronic device to measure a subject’s limb bioimpedance variation and report data to an Android application
Developed an open-source ultrasound imaging toolbox (MATLAB) with a rudimentary set of computer vision tools to assess fistula maturation in dialysis patients
Worked across several small teams to create tissue mimicking materials and simulated anatomical environments primarily for imaging research and surgical education, using hybrid manufacturing techniques to functionally replicate complicated biological situations
Collaborated with teams of surgeons to study effects of surgical tools through manufacturing methods such as optimizing bone drilling sequences to minimize thermal damage and measuring the millinewton forces orbital atherectomy

Mechanical Engineering Researcher at Intelligent and Smart Materials Lab., Reno, NV, 2011

Created a prototype for a low-power catheter platform integrating ionic polymer-metal composites for actuation and embedded electronics for user control

Undergraduate Researcher at Composite & Intelligent Materials Lab., Reno, NV, 2008 – 2010

Designed and conducted experiments on magnetorheological fluids and elastomers for a submarine missile door dampening system and a sensor for in-environment gait analysis

Volunteer Experience

Technical Editor, Journal of Electrical Bioimpedance, 2012 – present
Chair, Comm. on Civil Rights & Liberties, Senate Faculty, U. of Michigan, 2018 – 2020
Teacher, Lead, Xplore & Discover Engineering, University of Michigan, 2014, 2015, 2019
Science Demonstrator, Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland, CA 2016 – 2017
Instructional Aid, Science is Elementary, Palo Alto, CA, 2016 – 2017
Vice President, Secretary (UM Chapter), American Society for Engineering Education, A², MI, 2013 – 2016
Columnist, Editorial Board Member, The Michigan Daily, Ann Arbor, MI 2012 – 2014
Layout Editor, Blueprint Magazine, Ann Arbor, MI, 2011 – 2013
Columnist, The Nevada Sagebrush, Reno, NV, 2009 – 2010

Peer-Reviewed Publications

B Belmont, R Kessler, N Theyyunni, C Fung, R Huang, M Cover, KR Ward, AJ Shih, M Tiba. “Continuous inferior vena cava diameter tracking trough an iterative Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi based algorithm” Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, Vol 44, Iss 12, Pages 2793-2801, December 2018.
B Belmont, DW Park, A Shih, M Leavitt, B Plattner, PK Henke, WF Weitzel. “A pilot study to measure vascular compliance changes during fistula maturation using open-source software”, The Journal of Vascular Access, May 2018.
B Belmont, DW Park, WF Weitzel, AJ Shih. “An Open-Source Ultrasound Software for Diagnosis of Fistula Maturation”, ASAIO Journal, January 2018.
Y Liu, B Belmont, Y Wang, B Tai, J Holmes, A Shih. “Notched K-wire for low thermal damage bone drilling”, Medical Engineering and Physics, July 2017.
W Li, B Belmont, JM Greve, AB Manders, BC Downey, X Zhang, Z Xu, D Guo, A Shih. “Polyvinyl chloride as a multimodal tissue‐mimicking material with tuned mechanical and medical imaging properties”, Medical Physics, September 2016.
MH Tiba, B Belmont, M Heung, N Theyyunni, RD Huang, CM Fung, AJ Pennington, BC Cummings, GT Draucker, AJ Shih, KR Ward. “Dynamic Limb Bioimpedance and Inferior Vena Cava Ultrasound in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis”, ASAIO Journal, July 2016.
Y Zheng, B Belmont, AJ Shih. “Experimental investigation of the abrasive crown dynamics in orbital atherectomy”, Medical Engineering and Physics, July 2016.
WB Acker, BL Tai, B Belmont, AJ Shih, TA Irwin, JR Holmes. “Two-finger tightness: what is it? Measuring torque and reproducibility in a simulated model”, Journal of Orthopedic Trauma, May 2016.
AC Palmisano, BL Tai, B Belmont, TA Irwin, A Shih, JR Holmes. “Heat accumulation during sequential cortical bone drilling”, Journal of Orthopedic Research, March 2016.
BL Tai, AC Palmisano, B Belmont, TA Irwin, J Holmes, AJ Shih. “Numerical evaluation of sequential bone drilling strategies based on thermal damage”, Medical Engineering and Physics, September 2015.
AC Palmisano, BL Tai, B Belmont, TA Irwin, A Shih, JR Holmes. “Comparison of cortical bone drilling induced heat production among common drilling tools”, Journal of Orthopedic Trauma, May 2015.
B Belmont, Y Wang, P Ammanth, JS Wrobel, A Shih. “An Apparatus to Quantify Anteroposterior and Mediolateral Shear Reduction in Shoe Insoles”, Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, March 2013.
B Belmont, RE Dodde, AJ Shih. “Impedance of tissue-mimicking phantom material under compression”, Journal of Electrical Bioimpedance, March 2013.

Conference Presentations & Publications

N Ramo, A Huang-Saad, B Belmont, “What is Biomedical Engineering? Insights from Qualitative Analysis of Definitions Written by Undergraduate Students”, American Society for Engineering Education Conference, June 2019.
J Ashton-Miller, L Baroudi, B Belmont, N Comandante-Lou, JA Castor-Macias, KE Finn, DH Ghaffari, RD Graham, J Larouche, BY Li, Y Liu, A Mittal, ZJ Sperry, S Tang, N Villacis, M Weivoda, R Yung, HJ Zander, Y Zeng, M Zhou, “A BioHackathon on the challenges of Aging: Rapid need-finding and solution modeling in a student-led event”, engrXiv Preprintings, May 2019.
B Belmont. “Continuous inferior vena cava diameter tracking via ultrasound in spontaneously breathing patients” Cent. for Adv. Signal & Image Sci. Work., 2017.
MH Tiba, B Belmont, N Theyyunni, M Heung, R Huang, C Fung, A Pennington, KR Ward. “Comparison of respiratory induced inferior vena cava diameter changes with limb bioimpedance changes in dialysis and mechanically ventilated patients” SHOCK 45, June 2016.
A Price, L Savastano, WC Lin, B Belmont, A Shih. “Manufacturing of Anatomically Accurate Cerebral Arteries for the Brain Aneurysm Surgical Simulator”, ASME 2016 11th International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference, June 2016.
MH Tiba, B Belmont, M Heung, N Theyyunni, RD Huang, CM Fung, KR Ward. “Evaluation of Intravascular Volume Status Using Dynamic Respiratory Induced Bioimpedance of the Limb”, Academic Emergency Medicine, May 2016.
C Fung, R Huang, MH Tiba, B Belmont, AJ Pennington, BC Cummings, GT Draucker, KR Ward, N Theyyunni. “Measurement of Carotid Artery Flow Time Via Point-of-care Ultrasound in Hemodialysis Patients”, Acad. Emergency Med., 2016.
MH Tiba, B Belmont, N Theyyunni, R Huang, DF Barton, AJ Pennington, GT Draucker, AJ Shih, KR Ward. “Comparison of respiratory induced inferior vena cava diameter changes with limb bioimpedance changes to assess intravascular volume status”, SHOCK 43, June 2015.
W Li, B Belmont, A Shih. “Design and manufacture of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tissue mimicking material for needle insertion”, Procedia Manufacturing, NAMRC 43, 2015.
Y Zheng, B Belmont, AJ Shih. “Experimental investigation of the grinding wheel dynamics in atherectomy”, Procedia Manufacturing, NAMRC 43, 2015.
W Li, B Belmont, L Jing, A Shih. “Investigation of Needle Bevel Face Up and Down Orientation on Pediatric Intravenous Access”, Int’l Workshop on Microfactories, 2014
B Belmont, W Li, A Shih, B Tai. “Micromilling surface patterns for enhanced Kirschner wire bone drilling”, International Workshop on Microfactories, Oct. 2014.
B Belmont, H Lu, MN Pandit, X You, P Ammanath, A Shih, J Wrobel. “Shoe-insole shear testing apparatus for patients with diabetes”, Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center Annual Symposium, April 21, 2012.

Presentations, Speeches & Talks

“Confronting Deep Moral Disagreements” for Conversations about Science and Religion at First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, November 7, 2020
Moderator, “The Multilingual Scientist: Engaging a Diverse Community through Science & Education Outreach”, 43rd Annual Macro Sym., Oct. 23, 2019
Panelist on “A bioethics of (dis)(ability), or: where to place the emphasis”, U-M Council for Disability Concerns as part part of the University of Michigan Disability Community Month 2019, October 17, 2019
“Consequences of the Quantified Self”, Keynote speech at the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center’s Searching for Health Conference, May 3, 2019
Panelist on “A moderated discussion on The Bleeding Edge”, The Center for Bioethics in Social Science and Medicine, March 18, 2019
“Ethics in the “real world”: The Implant Files”, presentation to the Michigan Research and Discovery Scholars, January 23, 2019
‘‘The Teaching, the Teaching, the Teaching”, presentation to UM Chapter of the American Society for Engineering Education, November 2018
“Romulus and Remus and CRISPR/Cas9”, MSBT Annual Panel on Genetic Engineering, September 20, 2018
“Multimodal non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring”, Seminar to the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Shantou University, Summer 2018
“The Biomedical Condition”, Anatomical Donors Memorial Service at the University of Michigan, 2017
“Caution”, Ann Arbor The Moth Storyslam, August 1, 2017
“Life, stated simply”, Anatomical Donors Memorial Service at the University of Michigan, 2015
“The landscape of our human experience”, Anatomical Donors Memorial Service at the University of Michigan, 2014
“Dialysis fistula optimization via ultrasonic imaging”, Biomedical Engineering Student Seminar, February 17, 2014
“A Short History of Bioimpedance” Wu Seminar, October 25, 2013
“The very definition of our humanity”, Anatomical Donors Memorial Service at the University of Michigan, September 18, 2013

The Michigan Daily

As Columnist

“Pseudoscience, real money”, November 15, 2012.
“By the numbers”, November 27, 2012.
“Keep science secular”, December 3, 2012.
“Freedom from race”, February 1, 2013.
“Parlez-vous Python?”, February 14, 2013.
“The boring and the bombastic”, February 20, 2013.
“The stories of science”, February 27, 2013.
“The lives of mice and men”, March 1, 2013.
“A heartbreaking tale of slowness”, September 5, 2013.
“I pledge no allegiance”, September 11, 2013.
“Our bodies, our donations”, September 20, 2013.
“Asking the right questions”, October 3, 2013.
“Scalia and his devil”, October 17, 2013.
“The problem with ghosts”, October 31, 2013.
“Why we feel cold”, November 14, 2013.

As Editorial Board Member

“Internet opens education: Take advantage of free online courses”, September 25, 2012.
“Driving toward the future: Driverless cars should be legalized, innovated in Michigan”, October 10, 2012.
“Community service: Local post-secondary education deserves funding”, October 26, 2012.
“System of a down: Polarized politics limit democratic process”, November 1, 2012.
“DIY government: Voting essential to maintain democracy”, November 6, 2012.
“Scout’s hypocrisy: Boy Scouts should end anti-gay policies organization-wide” January 31, 2013.
“Branded for life: Sex offenders need rehabilitation, not public shaming”, February 5, 2013.
“Racism in disguise: Abolish offensive American Indian mascots locally”, February 21, 2013.
“Dropping science (funding): Sequestration could seriously hurt University research”, February 25, 2013.
“Scientific accessibility: Obama opens up federally funded research to the public”, March 1, 2013.
“A city in its own right: Downtown revitalization should be a priority for Ann Arbor”, April 8, 2013.
“(Over)protecting student privacy”, October 17, 2013.
“Immunizing Michigan”, January 15, 2014.

In the Press

“The Great Ventilator Race” by Jolyon Jenkins, BBC, May 19, 2020
“The High-Stakes Race to Build More Ventilators” by Alex Davies, WIRED, April 2, 2020
“Automakers and ventilators: Experts can discuss challenges” by Nicole Casal Moore, Michigan News, University of Michigan, March 31, 2020

Videos

Awards & Honors

I am honored to have been awarded a few official achievements in life. The list below are those of which I am most proud.

Honored Instructor, University Housing, 2019
Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prize, 2018
30 Under 30: Manufacturing Engineer Award, 2015
Student Research Presentation Award Runner-Up, NAMRC 43, 2015
Honorable Mention for “To Engineer is Human”, National Academy of Engineering “Engineering for You”, 2014
Extraordinary Student Research, Wu Manufacturing Research Center, 2014
Extraordinary Student Service, Wu Manufacturing Research Center, 2013
Event of the Year (2010), International Students for Liberty Conference, 2011
President of Club of the Year (“The UNR Students for Liberty”) (2008 – 2009), Associated Students of the University of Nevada, 2009
First Place, Best Entertainment Story, “Project Runway: A Poem”, 30th Anniversary Las Vegas Review-Journal High School Journalism Awards, 2006
Third Place, Opinion Writing / Serious, “Che: More Lennon than Lenin”, 30th Anniversary Las Vegas Review-Journal High School Journalism Awards, 2006

Things I consider real accomplishments but can’t really put on a traditional CV

A student attended a bioethics discussion and said afterwards, “this is the kind of thing I always thought college would be.”
Have gotten the opportunity to write lots of letters of recommendations (many to great success, all of which I meant).
A student once said that I, Barry Belmont, was their favorite philosopher.
Drafted a Faculty Senate Assembly Resolution protecting the civil rights of all involved during cross-examination in cases of alleged sexual misconduct (it passed unanimously)
Earned a 🌶 when RateMyProfessors.com still gave them out.
Officiated my sister’s wedding.
Can play guitar.