Christopher E. Carr, Sc.D.

| Research Scientist

Curriculum Vitæ

Education

• 2005 Doctorate of Science (Sc.D) in Medical Physics,
  Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
  Dissertation: The Bioenergetics of Walking and Running in Space Suits
  Committee: Prof. Dava Newman, Prof. Charles Coleman,
  Prof. Kip Hodges, Prof. Farish Jenkins
• 2001 S.M. Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT
  Thesis: Distributed Architectures for Mars Surface Exploration
• 1999 S.B. Aeronautics and Astronautics (Minor in Economics), MIT
• 1999 S.B. Electrical Science and Engineering, MIT

Employment

• Postdoctoral Associate/Research Scientist, MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; MGH Department of Molecular Biology, 2005-Present
• Research Assistant, MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research,
  Man-Vehicle Laboratory, 1999-2005
• Systems Engineer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 1999, 2000

Awards and Honors

• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (1999-2002)
• MIT Presidential Graduate Fellowship (1999)
• James Means Memorial Award for Excellence in Flight Vehicle Engineering,
  MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (1998)
• Eagle Scout (1991)

Training and Certification

• NASA Planetary Protection Course (2006)
• NASA Aerospace Medicine Clerkship (audited, 2003)
• Central Clinical Hospital, Moscow, Russia, Clinical Rotation in Cardiac Surgery (2003)
• Russian Academy of Sciences, Space Biology & Medicine Summer Course (2003)
• Clinical Rotation in Internal Medicine, Mt. Auburn Hospital, Cambridge MA (2003)
• NASA Planetary Science Summer School (2002)
• P2-rated Paraglider Pilot (2002)
• NAUI SCUBA Certificate (2000)
• NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program (1999)
• Private Pilot (Single Engine Land) (1995)

Professional Activities

• Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), Member (2004-Present)
• Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Reviewer (2006)
• MIT Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, Grant Reviewer (2006)
• Advisor to NSBRI Graduate Education Program in Bioastronautics Research Grant to MIT Professor Laurence Young (2004-2005), which led to formation of HST Bioastronautics Program
• Committee on Medical Education, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Member (2003-2005), reviewed existing and authorized new curriculum within HST

Publications

Student Mentoring And Research

• Andrea Fabre: In-silico optimization of short primers for universal PCR. Fall 2008.
• Kimberly McManus: In-vitro optimization of short primers for universal PCR. Fall 2008.
• Christian R. Ruiz: Microcontroller software engineering for a bench-top microfluidics platform. Summer, 2006. Advanced Undergraduate Project: Microfluidic chip DNA detection optics (EECS Senior Design Project). Summer 2007-Present.
• Sharon Chou: DNA detection optics and electronics for the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes project. Spring, 2006. Miniature thermal cycler for portable microfluidic-based PCR. Summer, 2006 to Spring 2007.
• Andrew Rader: Loping: A strategy for reduced gravity locomotion? Fall, 2005-Spring 2007.
• Jeremy McGee: Walking and running on the Moon: How space suits affect locomotion. Spring and Fall, 2006. Control systems for microfluidics and thermal cycling. Fall 2007.
• Nisha Vahora: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) optimization for mini-primers. Summer and Fall, 2006.
• Craig Bielski: Mechanical and electrical design in support of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes (SETG) project. Summer, 2006.
• Eric Conor. Literature review of technologies and protocols for DNA extraction from soil. Fall, 2005 to Spring 2006.
• Conor Lenahan. Exoskeleton characterization and experimentation. Spring, 2005.
• Loretta Treviño. Allowable surface-pressure variation in Mechanical Counterpressure to prevent Edema. Fall, 2004. Loretta received 2nd runner up out of 112 competitors for the 2005 Aerospace Medical Association Young Investigator Award based on our joint paper.
• Jae Kyung Lee. Summer internship: Edema sensor calibration. July-August, 2004.
• Sharmila Singh. UTMB medical rotation: Edema assessment of a mechanical counterpressure garment. June, 2004.
• Paulina Ponce de Leon Barido. Quality Control Evaluation of Prototype Non-Electric Incubator. Jan-Jul, 2004.
• Salafa'aniusila A. McGuire. Quality Control Evaluation of Prototype Non-Electric Incubator. Jan-Jun, 2004.
• Andrew Pinkham. Wireless Digital Transit & Low-Power Data Collection Device. Spring, 2004 to January, 2005.
• Drew Woodbury. Thesis: Analysis of the Design & Fabrication of an Enclosure for a Wireless Digital Compass. MIT BS, Mechanical Engineering, June 2003. Fall, 2002 through Spring, 2003

Press Coverage