Barry Belmont Age: 27


University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI


UNDER THIRTY F


or Barry Belmont, each engineering problem is, at its core, a human problem. “If you’re not solv- ing a problem that affects people, it’s kind of not worth solving,” he said. It’s no surprise then that


Barry’s doctoral research in biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan revolves around a patient-cen- tered approach to optimizing contemporary healthcare. Barry’s research focuses on noninvasive medi- cal imaging, using both electrical bioimpedance and clinical ultrasound technologies. He has used these methods to measure fluid volume status in patients, evaluate the maturation of dialysis fistula, and measure the wall shear rate of blood at the aorta in both healthy subjects and patients with aortic dissection. Dr. Albert Shih, Barry’s advisor and nominator for 30 Under 30, wrote that Barry has “acquired a firm grasp on the entire biomedical manufacturing process of taking a medical device from laboratory conception to industrial execution.” One such medical device developed by Barry is a


bioimpedance portable device, slated for clinical evalu- ation this summer. The device uses bioimpedance—an electrical current sent through the body—to measure circulating blood volume. The idea behind making a wearable device, Barry explained, was to track patient health via this new vital sign before, during and even after treatment.


“Why make a device for the hospital when you can make a device for the patient?” he asked. “It no longer makes sense to have a big machine in the room with the patient. It makes sense to have a wearable monitor with them.” Barry’s passionate “people-first” approach to engi- neering is likely one of the reasons he is, by all accounts,


90 AdvancedManufacturing.org | July 2015


an inspiring educator. He acted as a Graduate Student Instructor this past year for a biomedical engineering in- novative design course and one student described him, in a midterm evaluation, as “the best GSI I have ever had,” later adding, “he expects us to achieve, and drives us forward with a healthy disregard for the impossible.” And it’s not just one anonymous student who vouched for Barry’s teaching ability. On the day of his interview with Manufacturing Engineering, he taught his final class for the semester. His students, having picked up on Barry’s standard “uniform” of a black button-down shirt and gray slacks, surprised him with a unique way to show their appreciation—by dressing like him.


“Why make a device for the hospital when you can make a device for the patient?”


Barry doesn’t limit himself to educating only his students, either. He describes himself as a huge fan of science outreach and popularization, which is reflected in his work. He created two videos to promote engineer- ing, one titled “A Manufac- turing Convergence” for SME’s The BIG M Event, and


another called “To Engineer is Human” for the National Academy of Engineering’s “Engineering for You” video contest, which earned an Honorable Mention. He has also led STEM outreach programs and designed les- sons plans for K–12 students.


Barry has no plans to slow down in any area, be


it research, teaching or outreach. He hopes to be a professor in the future and continue to inspire others, both those inside his classroom and those outside of it, to pursue knowledge. “I think there’s a definite need for us to understand science and technology better than we do,” he said, “To know the world around us—and the people in it—is a worthwhile pursuit…and I want to convince others of that.”


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