James R Solberg 9711 Lowell ave, Skokie, IL 60076 (312) 285-3888 j-solberg@northwestern.edu http://solbergweb.com/james/engineer/ ------------------------------ Objective ------------------------------ Seeking full-time employment as an Electrical/Mechanical/Systems Engineer in areas such as controls, sensing, or electromechanical systems (available Fall, 2007). ------------------------------ Education ------------------------------ Doctorate of Philosophy Northwestern University - Dept. of Mechanical Engineering (Anticipated Completion: September 2007) • Specialization: sensing, controls, robotics, mechatronics, systems engineering, sensor fusion, sensor design, target localization, information filtering, signal processing, complex systems, sensing/motion co-optimization, and mechanical design • Working Dissertation Title: “Sensor-Based Control in Electrosensory Systems” • Lab: Laboratory for Intelligent Mechanical Systems (research advisors: Kevin Lynch & Malcolm MacIver) • GPA: 4.0 / 4.0 • Selected Courses: Computer Control in Manufacturing • Neural Control of Movement • Advanced Mechatronics • Sensorimotor Control • Biomedical Robotics • Flexible Automation • Optimal Control • Geometry in Robotics • Optimization • Motion Planning and Control Under Uncertainty • Nonlinear Dynamics Master of Science (Computer Systems Engineering) Sydney University (Australia) - School of Electrical and Information Engineering (December 2000) • Specialization: feedback control, electromechanical systems, embedded microprocessors, sensors, biomedical engineering, low-level programming (i.e., assembly language), and real-time control • Thesis Title: “Closed-Loop Control of Functional Electrical Stimulation for Human Gait: Introduction, Feedback Sensors, and Foreseeable Difficulties” • Selected Courses: Computers in Real Time Control and Instrumentation • Microprocessors in Engineered Products • Networked Systems • Biomedical Engineering Systems Master of Science (Mechanical Engineering) University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) - Dept. of Mechanical Engineering (December 1999) • Specialization: controller design, sensing, computer control of mechanical systems, signal filtering, DSP programming, control theory, analog electronics, and thermodynamics • Thesis Title: “Regulation of the Liquid-Mass-Fraction of the Refrigerant Exiting an Evaporator” • Lab: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center (research advisor: Norm Miller) • GPA: 3.8 / 4.0 • Selected Courses: Computer Control of Mechanical Engineering Systems • Industrial Control Systems • Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization, and Machine Learning • Mechatronics • Control System Theory and Design • Computer Architecture • Biomedical Instrumentation Bachelor of Science (Mechanical Engineering) University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) - Dept. of Mechanical Engineering (December 1997) • Senior Project: “Motor Grader Engine Air Intake System Design” • GPA: 3.7 / 4.0 ------------------------------ Areas of Expertise ------------------------------ • Controls • Information & Signal Filtering • Mechatronics • Systems Engineering • Sensing • Bio-Inspired Sensing & Controls Techniques • Embedded Systems • Sensor Development • Robotics • ElectroMechanical Systems • Sensor Fusion • Computer Simulation • MATLAB • Bayesian (e.g., Kalman) Filtering • Electronics • Real-Time Control ------------------------------ Professional Experience ------------------------------ Graduate Research Assistant Northwestern University (September 2003 - present) • Developed controller and data processing software for a biologically-inspired active sensing system. • Designed and built a feedback-controlled robot capable of locating and tracking underwater objects using a novel sensing system. • Managed small research team consisting of both students and professors. Research Engineer Northwestern University Fienberg School of Medicine (March 2001 - August 2003) • Designed, fabricated, and maintained the mechanical, electrical, and computer systems of the laboratory facilities. • Made significant contributions to many collaborative research projects throughout the department. • Instructed students on engineering concepts related to their research and courses. Controls and Instrumentation Engineer Faculty of Health Sciences at Sydney University (June 2000 - December 2000) • Participated in research team to develop a biomedical system that could enable paraplegic patients to walk. • Duties included developing controller and signal processing algorithms, implementing and maintaining software and hardware, updating colleagues on my progress, and publishing results. Tutor/Instructor/Counselor Wesley College at Sydney University (February 2000 - November 2000) • Provided individual tutoring and supplementary lectures to undergraduate students in disciplines of mathematics, physics, and mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. • Counseled and mentored undergraduate students needing guidance. Graduate Research Assistant University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) (January 1998 - January 2000) • Conducted research in the area of feedback control of mobile air conditioning systems. • Invented and calibrated a groundbreaking sensor that permits air conditioners to operate more effectively. • Other duties included managing project, coordinating with corporate sponsors to fulfill their needs, publishing results, and presenting quarterly deliverables to corporate sponsors. Software Development Engineer Wolfram Research (Champaign, IL) (Summer 1997) • Debugged large sections of the existing software. • Developed and implemented original software package which is used to graphically model various engineering systems. Research Assistant Wolfram Research (Champaign, IL) & University of Illinois (UIUC) (Summer 1996) • Created and validated algorithms for the inverse kinematics of a robotic manipulator. • Coordinated with other team members to insure continuity of research; presented and published conclusions. ------------------------------ Primary-Author Written Work ------------------------------ • Solberg, J.R. & P.M. Ferreira. Inverse Kinematics of Robotics and Its Applications of Symbolic Computing. Wolfram Research Inc. Technical Report. 1996: Champaign, IL. • Solberg, J.R. & N.R. Miller. Regulation of the Liquid-Mass-Fraction of the Refrigerant Exiting an Evaporator. The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center Technical Report TR-159. 2000: Urbana, IL. • Solberg, J.R., N.R. Miller, & P.S. Hrnjak. A Sensor for Estimating the Liquid Mass Fraction of the Refrigerant Exiting an Evaporator. Society of Automotive Engineers 2000 World Congress. 2000: Detroit, MI. • Solberg, J.R. & R.M. Smith. Closed-Loop Control of Functional Electrical Stimulation for Human Biped Locomotion in Paraplegic Patients. Faculty of Health Sciences Technical Report. 2001: Sydney, Australia. • Solberg, J.R. Sensor-Based Control in Weakly Electric Fish with Applications to Robotics. The Laboratory for Intelligent Mechanical Systems Technical Report. 2005: Evanston, IL. • Solberg, J.R., K.M. Lynch, & M.A. MacIver. Robotic Electrolocation: Active Underwater Object Localization with Electric Fields. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. 2007: Rome, Italy. • Solberg, J.R., K.M. Lynch, & M.A. MacIver. Active Electrolocation for Underwater Target Localization. currently submitted to The International Journal of Robotics Research. ------------------------------ A Few Other Projects (research, class, and professional) ------------------------------ • Primordial Turtles: The Emergence of Adaptation and Optimization in an Ecosystem (an interactive computer simulation) • The Autostalker (an autonomous robot capable of following a human evader) • The Weight 2K Precision Electronic Scale (operated with an embedded microprocessor) • Conductive Polymer Sensor In-Shoe Discrete Plantar Pressure Measurement System • Fist of Fury: Virtual Reality Glove and Robotic Hand • Optimization of a Mesoscopic Peristaltic Compressor Channel Using a Genetic Algorithm ------------------------------ Honors & Affiliations ------------------------------ Honors Varsity Letter: University of Illinois (Track & Field) Tau Beta Pi: Engineering Honor Golden Key: International Honor Society All-Big Ten Academic: Big Ten Conference (Scholar-Athlete Award) Professional Affiliations American Society of Mechanical Engineers Society Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers More details on my background and interests are available at http://solbergweb.com/james/engineer/