Robert J. Webster III,

Ph.D.

Medical & Electromechanical Design Laboratory

Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Vanderbilt University

VU Station B

351592, 2301 Vanderbilt Place

Nashville, TN. 37235-1592

Phone: 615-***-****,

Fax: 615-***-****

Email: abpugt@r.postjobfree.com

Curriculum vitae last updated: January 15, 2010

Education

Ph.D

. 2007 Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Dissertation: Design and Mechanics of Continuum Robots for Surgery

Advisors: Dr. Allison M. Okamura and Dr. Noah J. Cowan

M.S

. 2004 Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Specialization: Medical Robotics; Design, Modeling, and Kinematics

B.S

. 2002 Electrical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA

Summa Cum Laude, Departmental Honors

Positions Held

2008

-presentAssistant Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University

2002

-2007Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins

University

2006

Visiting Researcher, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Italy

2001

Visiting Researcher, University of Newcastle, Australia

2001

Research Engineer, Savannah River Technology Center

1998

-2001Co-op Engineer, Adtran, Inc

.

1997

Intern, Georgia Power, Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant

Research Interests

Electromechanical design, modeling, and control, particularly as applied to medical

systems. Image-guided

surgery and medical robotics. Cochlear implant surgery. Continuum (continuously flexible)

robots. Flexible

dexterous needle-sized manipulators, and steerable needles. Pill-sized swallowable robots

and other meso-

scale devices. Human-Machine Interfaces for surgical training and/or teleoperation.

Awards and Honors

2009 Best Poster, ASME Design of Medical Devices Conference (Three in Five Competition)

2007 Semifinalist, Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award

2006 Finalist, Best Paper Award, IEEE/RSJ Int'l Conference on Intelligent Robots and

Systems

2003-2007 National Science Foundation Fellowship

2006 Best Presentation, Engineering Research Center for Computer Integrated Surgical

Systems

and Technology Student Competition

2002-2005 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship

2003 Best Project, Advanced Computer Integrated Surgery

2002 Tau Beta Pi Fellowship

2002 Rhodes Most Outstanding Undergraduate Engineer, Clemson University

1999-2002 Most Outstanding Electrical Engineer in class, Clemson University (3 times)

2002 Best Paper, IEEE Piedmont Student Paper Competition

1997-2002 Dixon Fellow

2000 Tau Beta Pi Scholarship

2000 Member, Tau Beta Pi

2000 Member, Eta Kappa Nu

IEEE/RSJ

Medical

Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, 2008.[Po5] D. C. Rucker, N. J. Cowan,

G. S. Chirikjian, and R. J. Webster III. Toward a general active cannula

model. Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, 2008.[Po6] X. Xie and

R. J. Webster III. A 3d trajectory-following controller for bevel-steered needles.

Medical

Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, 2008.[Po7] J. P. Swensen, R. J.

Webster III, and N. J. Cowan. Active cannula: Applications to steerable needles.

Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, 2008.

Grants and Contracts

Pending1. NIH R21: \Reaching inaccessible anatomy percutaneously via multi-lumen

steerable needles" R. J.

Webster III (PI) and R. Alterovitz (PI). For $414,923 over two years (5/1/10-4/31/12).

Scored Top

10%, NIH Impact/Priority Score: 23.2. NSF IGERT: \Multi-Disciplinary Program in Systems

Science and Engineering with emphasis on Cyber

Physical Systems" G. Biswas (PI), R. J. Webster III, and a large number of Co-Is,

$3,200,000 over five

years (5/1/10-4/31/15).3. Martin Companies (Industry Sponsor): \Precision Pneumatic MRI

Compatible Robotic Surgery" E.

J. Barth (PI), R. J. Webster III, and approximately 10 Co-Is. For $3,101,795 over 3 years

(5/1/10-

4/31/13).4. NSF CCEFP ERC: \Fluid-Powered Surgery & Rehabilitation via Compact,

Integrated Systems" R. J.

Webster III (PI), J. Ueda, E. J. Barth, and V. Gervasi. For $450,000 over two years

(4/1/09-3/31/11).

Current1. NIH Phase II SBIR #R44CA134169: \Precisely Shaped Acoustic Ablation of Tumors

Under 3D Ul-

trasound Image Guidance" E. C. Burdette (PI), R. J. Webster III, and E. M. Boctor. For

$1,500,000

over four years (9/1/08-8/31/12). Subcontract to Webster's lab of $402,337.2. NIH R01

#R01DC10184: \Pediatric Percutaneous Cochlear Implantation: Clinical Validation and

Implementation" R. F. Labadie (PI), J. M. Fitzpatrick, and R. J. Webster III. For

$2,970,077 over

three years (9/1/09-8/31/12).3. Vanderbilt Discovery Grant: \Fluid-Powered Locomotion,

Sensing, and Intervention in the GI Tract"

R. J. Webster III (PI), K. C. Williams, and H. Correa. For $100,000 over two years

(6/1/09-5/31/11).4. NSF #CBET-0651803: \Active Cannulas for Bio-Sensing and Surgery" N. J.

Cowan (PI), A. M.

Okamura, and R. J. Webster III. For $240,000 over three years (8/15/07-8/14/10).

Subcontract to

Webster's lab of $180,589.

Completed1. NIH Phase I SBIR #R44CA134169: \Precisely Shaped Acoustic Ablation of Tumors

Under 3D Ultra-

sound Image Guidance" E. C. Burdette (PI), R. J. Webster III, and E. M. Boctor. For

$100,000 over

one years (9/1/08-8/31/09). Subcontract to Webster's lab of $26,136.2. Vanderbilt

Teaching Center: \Getting a Feel for Dynamic Systems through Haptic Robots." For $3,000

over one semester (Fall, 2008).

Robert J. Webster III, Ph.D. (6 of 9)3. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Supplement to #CBET-0651803. For $3,000 over one

year (6/1/08-8/31/08).4. National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship,

Robert J. Webster III. For approxi-

mately $167,760 over three years (9/1/2002-8/31/2005).5. National Science Foundation

Graduate Fellowship, Robert J. Webster III. For approximately $96,000

over three years (9/1/2005-12/31/07).6. IEEE-RAD/IFRR Travel Grant, 2005.7. National

Science Foundation Travel Grants for conference attendance (5) 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004,

2006.

Invited Presentations1. Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Center for Research in

Microengineering. \Medical Robotics and Image-

Guided Surgery in the MED lab at Vanderbilt," Pontedera, Italy, July 15, 2009.2. Carnegie

Mellon University Robotics Institute,

\Toward Steerable Cannula and Legged Capsule Robots

in Medicine," October 10, 2008.3. MICCAI Workshop, Needle Steering: Recent Results and

Future Opportunities, \Modeling and Control

of Continuum Robots for Surgery," New York, NY, September 6, 2008.4. Scuola Superiore

Sant'Anna, Center for Research in Microengineering Seminar, \Design, Mechanics,

and Control of Surgical Continuum Robots," Pontedera, Italy, July 10, 2008.5. Vanderbilt

University External Advisory Committee Meeting, Nashville, TN, April 25, 2008.6.

Vanderbilt University,

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nashville, TN, March 26,

2008

.7. University of Georgia, Faculty of Engineering, Athens, GA, March 19, 2007.8. Duke

University Department of Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science,

Durham,

NC, February 27, 2007.9. Vanderbilt University, Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Nashville, TN, February 19, 2007.10. Workshop on Medical Diagnosis, Micro Surgery, and

Performance Evaluation at IEEE/RSJ Interna-

tional Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems,

Beijing, China, October 10, 2006.11.

Engineering Research Center for Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology

Seminar Series,

Johns Hopkins University,

Baltimore, MD, May 3, 2006.

Advising

Doctoral Students

Byron Smith,

Ph.D. expected 2014.

Louis Kratchman, Ph.D

. expected 2014.

Jenna Toennies, Ph.D

. expected 2013.

Ray Lathrop, Ph.D

. expected 2012.

Caleb Rucker, Ph.D

. expected 2012.

Doctoral Students Co-Advised

Jadav Das, Ph.D. expected 2010. Co-Advised with Nilanjan Sarkar.

Robert J. Webster III,

Ph.D. (7 of 9)

Research Engineers Advised

Gregoire Blanchon, Research Engineer/M.S., Co-Advised with R. F. Labadie

Jason Mitchell, Research Engineer/Ph.D., Co-advised with M. Goldfarb

Daniel Schurzig, Research Engineer/Ph.D., Co-Advised with R.F. Labadie

Undergraduate Students

J. Tyler Steier, 2010. Justin Saunders, 2010. Ben Bradshaw, 2009. Zach Smith, 2009. David

Gostin,

2009. Xavier Waller, 2009. Tiffany Cheng, 2009. Sam Nackman, 2009. Jordan Croom, 2008.

James

Boyle, 2008. Randy Smith, 2008. Brandon Bolds, 2008. Todd Dutton, 2008. Robert Pieper,

2008.

Joseph Romano, 2006. Jasenka Memisevic, 2004.

Thesis and Exam Committees

2008

: Tyler Li (VU Ph.D.), Abhijit Barman (VU Ph.D. Proposal Defense), and departmental

prelim-

inary exam in the area of Dynamic Systems and Control.

2009: Abhijit Barman (VU Ph.D.), Yu Tian (VU Ph.D.), Frank Sup (VU Ph.D.), Atakan Varol

(VU

Ph.D.), Keith Wait (VU Ph.D. Proposal Defense), and departmental preliminary exam in the

area of

Dynamic Systems and Control.

Instruction and Course Development

Undergraduate Courses

System Dynamics Modeling and analysis of damped and un-damped, forced and free vibrations

in single

and multiple degree-of-freedom linear dynamical systems. Introduction to stability and

control of

linear dynamical systems. Implemented a new set of labs incorporating the Haptic Paddle.

Vanderbilt

University: Fall 2008, Enrollment 63 students. Fall 2009, Enrollment 65 students.

Senior Design. In the Senior Design course, students undertake a design project for a

sponsoring organi-

zation (e.g. a private company, government lab, or university agency or lab). Projects in

2008 included

robot design, robot motion planning, heat transfer models for industrial glass melters,

rocketry, a sci-

ence museum exhibit, alternative fuels research, and design of various car and motorcycle

components,

among others. Vanderbilt University: Spring 2008, Enrollment 20 Students. Spring 2009,

Enrollment

27 Students.

Mechatronics (TA) Taught lab sections of this interdisciplinary course, which teaches the

student to design

and build mechatronic devices. Topics include mechanism design, motors and sensors,

interfacing and

programming microprocessors, mechanical prototyping, and creativity in the design

process. Course

labs and projects are performed in small student groups. Each group develops a

microprocessor-

controlled electromechanical device capable of producing an original piece of artwork.

Johns Hopkins

University: Fall 2006. Approximately 20 students.

Design and Analysis of Dynamic Systems (TA) Taught sections of the lab associated with

this course,

where students learned hands-on modeling and analysis of damped and undamped, forced and

free

vibrations in single and multiple degree-of-freedom linear dynamical systems.

Introduction to stability

and control of linear dynamical systems. Johns Hopkins University: Spring 2004.

Approximately 40

students.

Surgery for Engineers (TA) Assisted with grading exams and teaching labs for this course

for gradu-

ate engineers (biomedical, mechanical, and computer science), which provides an overview

of clinical

surgery and concentrates on instrument design and applying engineering principles to the

practice of

surgery. Johns Hopkins Medical Institute: 2004. Approximately 12 students.

Robert J. Webster III,

Ph.D. (8 of 9)

Professional Service

International Program, Editorial, and Review Committees

2009-present ASME Dynamic Systems and Controls Division, Robotics Technical Committee

2007-present NSF Proposal Review Panelist (4 times)

2004 Volunteer Organizer, OR2020 Operating Room of the Future Workshop, Ellicott City,

Mary-

land, March 18-20

Memberships

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) - Robotics and Automation

Society, Washing-

ton Computer Aided Surgery Society (WashCAS), Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu, IEEE

Mechatronics,

Communications, and Power Societies, CISSRS Student Computer Integrated Surgery Society,

Medical

Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI) Society

Sessions Chaired

Robert J. Webster III

Ph.D. (9

of 9)

University Service

Vanderbilt Biomedical Engineering Faculty Search Committee.

Vanderbilt Department of Mechanical Engineering Design Curriculum Committee.

Vanderbilt Department of Mechanical Engineering Webpage Coordinator.

Vanderbilt Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program Committee.

Vanderbilt School of Engineering Webpage Committee.

Vanderbilt School of Engineering Admission and Scholarship Committee.

Vanderbilt School of Engineering Committee on 1st Year Engineering Curriculum.

Vanderbilt School of Engineering Machine Shop Committee

PERSONAL DATA

Citizenship: United States

Contact Information:

Department of Mechanical Engineering

VU

Station

B 351592

2301 Vanderbilt Place

Nashville, TN 37235-1592

Phone: 615-***-****

Fax: 615-***-****

Email: abpugt@r.postjobfree.com

Laboratory Web page: http://research.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/MEDLab

Contact this candidate