Mike Whitson

Past

Intern at Osram Opto Semiconductors
Research Engineer at Optron Systems
Research Assistant at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Visiting Researcher at Tohoku University
Nanofabrication Technician at Nantero
Intern at Hitachi
Software Engineer at Ximian
System Programmer 1 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Recommended

1 person has recommended Mike

Connections

55 connections

Industry

Nanotechnology

Websites

Mike Whitson’s Summary

Graduated from MIT in electrical engineering & computer science, with specialization in microfabrication and additional coursework in materials science and nanosystems. Spent one year as a visiting researcher at Tohoku University, in Sendai, Japan. Multiple years of full-time experience in research-scale small-run microfabrication at Nantero, Tohoku Univ., and Optron.

As my previous employer is a casualty of the current economic downturn, I am currently seeking permanent or contract employment in MEMS/NEMS fabrication or related fields of research. My broad academic background and experience is ideally suited to a position focusing on R&D-scale microfabrication requiring understanding of device physics and critical analysis ability in addition to performing processing tasks.

In addition to my technical background, I have a strong interest in foreign languages and international studies. I am conversational in Japanese and Norwegian (having lived in both of those countries), and I have some basic knowledge of German and Mandarin Chinese.

Mike Whitson’s Specialties:

Laboratory-scale microfabrication, benchtop processing, MEMS fabrication

Mike Whitson’s Experience

Intern

Osram Opto Semiconductors

(Public Company; Semiconductors industry)

June 2009 — October 2009 (5 months)

Graduate intern in Process Engineering department, through the MIT Germany Program. Implemented procedures to improve measurements of optical dispersion of thin films, using simultaneous parametric model fitting of multiple optical metrology datasets. Delivered dispersion curves and parametric models for several technologically relevant optical films representing significant improvements in quality of in-house data.
Research Engineer

Optron Systems

(Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing industry)

April 2008 — February 2009 (11 months)

Performed microfabrication and fabrication and process development for MOEMS diffractive membrane mirror light modulators. Developed numerical wave optics analysis of modulator cells to aid in optimization of optical chain, using muldimensional Fourier analysis in MATLAB.
Research Assistant

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

September 2006 — December 2007 (1 year 4 months)

Part-time research assistant in the Precision Compliant Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering. Collaborated on design of a mesoscale six-axis positioning system with nanometer / microradian-scale repeatability, based on the PCSL's HexFlex series of flexure stages. Work included precision error budgeting, consultation on mechanism position sensor design, precision fixturing system design, and microfabrication process engineering.
Visiting Researcher

Tohoku University

(Educational Institution; Research industry)

October 2005 — August 2006 (11 months)

Full-time visiting researcher at Esashi and Haga laboratories, Department of Mechanical Engineering, through the MIT Japan Program. Performed device design, process design, analysis, and preliminary fabrication of a piezoelectric ultrasonic micro-resonator, to be used as an intravascular elastographic transducer. Participated in teaching rotation for laboratory-wide technical seminars and English lessons.
Nanofabrication Technician

Nantero

(Privately Held; Nanotechnology industry)

June 2004 — September 2005 (1 year 4 months)

Assisted device engineers with processing of prototype device wafers for company's core carbon nanotube-based memory and other products. Performed rapid device analyses to help set short-loop test goals.
Intern

Hitachi

(Public Company; HIT; Computer Hardware industry)

June 2003 — August 2003 (3 months)

Intern at Hitachi Central Research Laboratory in Tokyo, Japan, through the MIT Japan Program. Assisted Hitachi's ULSI Research Group with design, simulation, and optimization of simple MEMS beam resonators.
Software Engineer

Ximian

(Computer Software industry)

April 2000 — August 2001 (1 year 5 months)
System Programmer 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

January 1998 — April 2000 (2 years 4 months)

Mike Whitson’s Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

S.B. , Electrical Engineering & Computer Science , 2007

Specialized in micro/nanofabrication, additional coursework in materials science and engineering

Activities and Societies:

MIT Outing Club, Student Information Processing Board, MIT Japan Program