Beth L. Pruitt

Assistant Professor
Mechanics and Computation Division, Department of Mechanical Engineering
http://microsystems.stanford.edu

Phone: 650-723-4559 | Fax: 650-723-1778 | Email: pruitt@stanford.edu | Office: Durand 281

Degrees

S.B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Mechanical Engineering (1991)
M.S. Stanford University - Manufacturing Systems Engineering (1992)
Ph.D. Stanford University - Mechanical Engineering (2002)

Research Interests

Design and Manufacturing, MEMS, Micromechanical Characterization and Biomechanics of Cellular systems

Professor Pruitt's research interests are in the area of microfabricated sensors for system monitoring and modeling, development of novel processes and devices for observing nanoscale mechanical behavior, and the analysis, design, and control of integrated electro-mechanical systems. She is particularly interested in the biomedical applications of nanofabricated devices with the goal of developing diagnostic tools, measurement and analysis systems, and reliable manufacture methods. This research includes instrumenting and interfacing devices between the micro and macro scale, understanding the scaling properties of physical and material processes and finding ways to reproduce and propagate new technologies efficiently and repeatably at the macro-scale.

Prior to her Ph.D. at Stanford, Beth was an officer in the U.S. Navy. She served as a project manager at the engineering headquarters for U.S. Navy nuclear program supervising submarine reactor fuel removal and refueling projects including oversight of project schedules, manpower, training, and budgets, review of equipment mechanical designs, and engineering evaluation of technical procedures, and also as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy teaching systems engineering and sailing.

Recent Publications

B.L. Pruitt, W.-T. Park, T.W. Kenny. “MEMS Based Measurement System and Low Force Electrical Contact Measurements.” Journal of Micro-electro-mechanical Systems, vol.13 (2), pp. 220-229, April 2004.

B.L. Pruitt, T.W. Kenny. "Piezoresistive Cantilevers and Measurement System for Low Force Electrical Contact Measurements." Sensors and Actuators, A., 2003, vol 104/1, pp 68-77.

B. Pruitt, D.-H. Choi, J. Florando, R. Martens, S. Wenzel, C. Reynolds, W. Nix, and T. Kenny. "Low force electrical contact measurements using piezoresistive MEMS cantilevers to characterize thin-film metallization." Proceedings of 2001 EuroSensors XV, pp. 1032-35.

B. Pruitt, T. Kenny, D.-H. Choi, W. Nix. "Microstructure, Hardness, and Contact Resistance of Thin Gold Films." Presentation at the 2001 MRS Fall Meeting Symposium B on Materials Science of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Devices.

B. Pruitt, A. Partridge, M. Bartsch, Y. Liang, T. Kenny, S. Wenzel, C. Reynolds. "Design of Piezoresistive Cantilevers for Low Force Electrical Contact Measurements." Proceedings of the 2000 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, pp. 183-188.

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