Bruce P Block

Engineer in Research Lead

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

 

Research:

Mass spectrometry, project management, systems engineering, vacuum engineering, high-speed and RF analog circuit design, FPGA design, software design for embedded and realtime applications, mechanical design, design of integration and test flows.

Skills:

• Real time programming
• Microwave circuit design
• C/C++ programming
• Assembly language programming
• Calibration test setups
• System level integration/test
• High vacuum technology
• VHDL gate array design
• Project management
• System design
• VHDL FPGA logic design
• Digital circuit design
• Systems engineering
• electrical engineer

• Flight Instruments 
  • Huygens Probe GCMS Analog Electronics (Project Manager)
  • Cassini INMS Analog Electronics (Project Manager)
  • Planet - B NMS Analog Electronics (Project Manager)
  • Rosetta ROSINA Analog & Digital Electronics (Project Manager)
  • Contour NGIMS Analog Electronics (Project Manager)
• Pre-Flight Technology
  • Juno MWR Microwave Calibration System (Lead Engineer)
• Device Development
  • PIDDP New Operational Modes for Quadrupole MS  (Project Manager)
  • ASTID Microfabricated GCxGC (Engineer)
  • Mars Analytical Chemistry Experiment - MACE (Lead Engineer)

Specializations and Research Interests

• Mass Spectrometry
• Project management
• Systems engineering
• Vacuum engineering
• High-speed analog circuit design
• RF circuit design
• FPGA design
• Software design for embedded and realtime applications
• Mechanical design
• Design of integration and test flows

Honors, Awards and Accomplishments

• Co-I, NASA-PIDDP, "New Operational Mode for Space-borne Mass Spectrometers"
• Mentor in ENG 450 project, Air Force Research Laboratory, UM-OSU Challenge
• Lead engineer, NASA-ASTID, "GCxGC Using Micro-fabricated Columns"
• Lead engineer, Juno Microwave Radiometer - Microwave Calibration System (MCS)
• Served as elad engineer for the Mars Analytical Chemistry Experiment (MACE)
• Managed the development and implementaton of the analog and digital electronics for the Rosetta ROSINA Double-Focusing Mass Spectrometer (DFMS)
• Managed the developemnt and implementation of the analog electronics for the CONTOUR Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS)
• Managed the development and implementation of the analog and digital electronics for the Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) and the Huygens Probe Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS)
• US Patents
  • 7,293,409 - Thermal modulation for gas chromatography
  • 7,293,449 - Thermal modulation for gas chromatography

Professional Service

• 2008 Excellence in Staff Service Award, College of Engineering, University of Michigan
• Group Achievement Award, Rosetta Mission, European Space Agency
• IEEE
• ACM

Publications

• Balsiger, H.et al., ROSINA Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis, Space Science Reviews 128 (2007)

• Waite, J. H., et al., "Ion Neutral Mass spedctrometer Results from the First Flyby of Titan", Science, 308, 13 May 2005

• Waite, J. H. et al., "The Mars Analytical Chemistry Experiment," IEEEAC Paper #1559, Version 4, December 29, 2004

• Waite, J. H., et al., "The Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) Investigation", Space Science Reviews, 114 (2004)

• Scherer, S. et al., "Comprehensive Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography Coupled to a Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for Broad Spectrum Organic Analysis" 52nd American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference, Nashville, TN (2004)
• Niemann, H.B. et al., "The Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer Aboard Huygens", Space Science Reviews, 104, n 1-4, (2002)