Michael J. Banks

347 Quinby Road
Rochester, NY 14623
(585) 427-8466
E-Mail: mbanks@pas.rochester.edu

Education

1995 - present
University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
1990 - 1995
University of Southern California (U.S.C.), Los Angeles, California
1990
Northern Virginia Community College, Sterling, Virginia
1986 - 1990
Herndon High School, Herndon, Virginia

Academic Awards

1996 - 1999
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
1998
Graduate Teaching Award, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester (U.R.)
1997
Graduate Teaching Citation (Honorable Mention), Department of Physics and Astronomy, U.R.
1995 - 1996
Sproull Fellowship, U.R.
1995
Valedictorian, University of Southern California (U.S.C.)
1994
University Trustee's Award, U.S.C.
1991
Certificate of scholastic achievement, Phi Kappa Phi honor society, U.S.C.
1990 - 1995
Trustee Scholarship (academic scholarship), U.S.C.
1990 - 1995
Dean's Honor List, 1990 (Fall), 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 (Spring), College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, U.S.C.
1990
Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award in Physics, U.R.
1990
National Merit Finalist
1990
Virginia Byrd Honors Scholar
1990
Presidential Scholar Semifinalist

Memberships

Academic

1994 - 1995
Member, U.S.C. Budget Advisory Committee
1993 - present
Member, Mortar Board senior honor society (U.S.C.)
1993 - present
Member, Phi Beta Kappa honor society (U.S.C.)
1993 - present
Member, Phi Kappa Phi honor society (U.S.C.)
1993 - present
Associate Member, Sigma Xi research honor society (U.S.C.)
1993 - present
Member, Golden Key honor society, U.S.C.
1992 - 1995
Member, Dean's Advisory Board, College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, U.S.C.
1990 - 1991
Member, Alpha Lambda Delta honor society, U.S.C.

Extracurricular

1992 - 1995
Member, Society of Physics Students, U.S.C.
1992 - 1993
Member, U.S.C. College Bowl team
1990 - 1995
Member, Associated Trustee Scholars, U.S.C.
1993 - present
Member, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1990 - 1993
Member, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, U.S.C.
1990 - 1993
Cast Member, U.S.C. Songfest

Work Experience

9/94 - 9/95
Space Science Center
University of Southern California, L.A., CA 90089
Supervisor: Melvin D. Daybell, (213) 740-1147
Designed new equipment for ongoing spectrometry research problems; ran and expanded research apparatus; provided technical and computer support for the lab.
5/94 - 8/94
Molecular Physics Laboratory
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Supervisor: Gregory W. Faris, (415) 859-4131
Set up and conducted laser experiment to generate high-power coherent VUV using four-wave mixing process; successfully modeled on computer the theoretical efficiency predictions for the experiment.
8/93 - 5/94
Space Science Center University of Southern California, L.A., CA 90089
Supervisor: Melvin D. Daybell, (213) 740-1147
Prepared and expanded research apparatus; designed, constructed, and calibrated stable DC power supply needed in experiment; analysed, implemented, and provided computer programming support for data acquisition/analysis system; produced technical illustrations for research proposals; created design and engineering drawings of new spark light source apparatus.
5/93 - 8/93
Molecular Physics Laboratory
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Supervisor: Gregory W. Faris, (415) 859-4131
Set up and conducted infrared laser experiment for time-gated transillumination human tissue imaging, including assuming responsibility for daily laser system maintenance; created computer models of predicted imaging results.
5/92 - 8/92
Multiterawatt Short-Pulse Laser Facility
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551
Supervisor: Michael D. Perry, (510) 423-4915
Assisted in design and construction of vacuum system for short-pulse laser experiment, and in calibrating and testing of diagnostic equipment for above system; developed flexible real-time data acquisition and statistical data analysis packages programmed in LabVIEW; developed Mathematica system for interactive calculation of harmonic conversion efficiency predictions.
8/91 - 1/92
University Computing Services
1010 W. Jefferson Bl., L.A., CA 90089
Supervisor: Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, (707) 762-3492
Volunteered time as consultant at off-campus computing facility; acted as reference and technical specialist.
6/91 - 8/91
Towed Systems Branch
D.O.D. David Taylor Research Center, Bethesda, MD 20084-5000
Supervisor: Raymond P. Para, (301) 227-1811
Successfully completed previous work on submarine buoy test analysis; aided in writing feasibility estimates and determining successful full-scale operating conditions; aided in writing feasibility report; designed technical illustrations for report. Designed and wrote programs for office use in real-time data collection, statistical data smoothing, and other uses. In addition, frequently aided in setup and execution of tow basin model tests.
6/90 - 8/90
Towed Systems Branch
D.O.D. David Taylor Research Center, Bethesda, MD 20084-5000
Supervisor: Raymond P. Para, (301) 227-1811
Initiated video analysis of submarine buoy model tests for design feasibility study; developed computer programs to facilitate this work; developed and drafted branch operating procedures for such video analyses. Frequently aided in setup and execution of model tests in deep-channel and high-speed tow basins, and in construction of experimental model positioning equipment.

Additional Qualifications