headshot of Timothy Becker

Timothy A. Becker

Professor of Practice
Mechanical Engineering

Contact information

Phone: (928) 523-1468
Email: Tim.becker@nau.edu
Bioengineering Device Lab

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About

Dr. Tim Becker is a Professor of Practice in Mechanical Engineering, the PI of the Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL), and the Bioengineering PhD Director at Northern Arizona University since 2011. He has over 20 years experience in teaching and research at the academic, research laboratory, small technology startups, and large industry levels. Dr. Becker enjoys utilizing his experiences in academics, research, and industry to provide a well-rounded education to current and future students.

His areas of expertise include Biomedical Engineering, product design, materials science and testing, and fluid mechanics. Over the past couple decades, he has published peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, and book chapters ranging from pure scientific and engineering research to successful product development efforts. Dr. Becker has 7 years experience in engineering industry, medical device consulting, and a small-business technology startup.

Before returning to academics, Dr. Becker founded Neural Intervention Technologies, Inc. (NIT), to bring a new medical device to clinical trials, and to the marketplace, for treatment of blood vessels defects in the brain. He was the Chief Technology Officer, Vice President of Research, and Board member at NIT for the 4 years the company was in business, and up until it was acquired by WL Gore & Associates (Flagstaff, AZ). Before founding NIT, Dr. Becker was a Senior Research Associate at two internationally recognized engineering research labs: one at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) and the other at Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ).

Professional Experience

Professor of Practice, Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications (MIRA),Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ (May ’22 – current)
 
Associate Professor of Practice, Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Center for Bioengineering Innovation (CBI),
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ (Aug. 15 – May 22)
 

Chief Technology Officer, Aneuvas Technologies Inc. (ATI), Queen Creek, AZ (Jun. ’13-present)PI for a medical device company with the purpose of bringing a new neurovascular device (PPODA-QT) to clinical trials and potentially to the marketplace for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms

Independent Medical Device Consultant, Flagstaff, AZ (Mar. ’08-current)

Product Specialist, WL Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ (Jul. ’06-Jan. ‘08)

Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Neural Intervention Technologies Inc. (NIT), Ann Arbor, MI (Aug. ’03-Jul. ‘06

Honors and Awards

  • Excellence in Brain Aneurysm Research, The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 9/20/18
  • Outstanding Educator Award, NAU Athletics, Fall 2014
  • Outstanding Educator Award, NAU Athletics, Spring 2014
  • Exemplary Performer, Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Engineering Design (EGR), 2013-2014
  • Exemplary Performer, Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Engineering Design (EGR), 2012-2013

Recent Publications

E-228 A novel stent-balloon device for treatment of sidewall intracranial aneurysms, O Asgari, H Sodawalla, T Becker, Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A153-A154

E-204 Novel blood analogue for in-vitro neurovascular modeling, H Sodawalla, W Merritt, T Becker, Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A139-A140

E-010 Investigation of a novel poly (propylene glycol) material for use as a protein-resistant, bio-inert implant, W Merritt, A Koppisch, R Kellar, A Ducruet, T Becker, Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A30-A31

E-006 Tuning of innovative in-vitro model materials to mimic tissue properties N Norris, I Smith, C Settanni, W Merritt, T Becker, Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12 (Suppl 1), A28-A29