Expertise

Beck's areas of expertise are laser velocimetry and optical measurements (LDV, PIV, PLIF), heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and two-phase flow. His research includes the development and application of optical measurement techniques, and laser-based diagnostic testing for industrial applications. It is currently focused primarily on two independently funded research areas involving the application of non-contact optical measurements: (1) instrumentation for surface strain measurement on prestressed concrete based on a laser-speckle and/or surface feature tracking principle, and (2) the development of a unique and very new type of non-vapor compression refrigeration based on a cavitation cooling effect.

Research: Development and application of optical measurement techniques; Experimental measurements using Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), Particle image Velocimetry (PIV), Laser Speckle (LS), Laser-Induced Florescence (LIF); Laser-based diagnostic testing for industrial applications; Optical strain sensor development for bridge testing, structural analysis, and prestressed concrete diagnostic testing.

Expertise: Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering


Research: Solid Mechanics and Machine Design

Communities
Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Degrees
PhD, Oakland University, Mechnical Engineering, 1978
MS, Oakland University, Mechnical Engineering, 1974
BS, Oakland University, Mechnical Engineering, 1971
Keywords
mechanical engineering heat transfer nuclear engineering lasers and masers spectroscopy scientific instrumentation
Honors

Outstanding Advising Award, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department (Kansas State University), 2005

ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship (Research), NASA Langley Research Center, 2004

ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship (Research), NASA Langley Research Center, 2003

ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship (Research), NASA Langley Research Center, 2002

URRP Summer Research Program (Research), AFOSR USAF Academy (FJSRL), 1992

University Resident Research Program (URRP) Award (Research/Sabbatical), USAF Academy, AFOSR Frank J. Seiler Research Lab (FJSRL), 1989-1991

Associations
American Society for Engineering Education
American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers - Bioengineering Division
Phi Kappa Phi
Pi Tau Sigma
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
Tau Beta Pi