Brock J. LaMeres

Brock J. LaMeres is a Professor and Director of the Montana Engineering Education Research Center (MEERC) at Montana State University. With joint appointments in Electrical & Computer Engineering and engineering education leadership, he has pioneered radiation-tolerant computer systems and reconfigurable computing technologies for space applications while reforming engineering pedagogy through innovative teaching methods.

• Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Colorado-Boulder (2005)
• M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (2001)
• B.S., Electrical Engineering, Montana State University (1998)

His research interests span radiation-hardened computer architectures, space radiation effects on electronics, and engineering education reform. Notably, he developed the RadPC technology for NASA lunar missions and created the MEERC to align engineering graduates with workforce needs. His work integrates unconventional teaching tools like Minecraft for spatial skill development and created the STEM Storytellers program to enhance graduate students' communication skills.

Key article trends demonstrate dual focus areas: (1) radiation-tolerant computing for space missions with subfields like FPGA-based design, memory protection algorithms, and AI processing in radiation environments, and (2) engineering education innovations including e-learning platforms, spatial reasoning training, and oral communication development.

• 2023: MSU VPR Meritorious Technology/Science Award
• 2022: NACOE Excellence in Outreach Award
• 2020: Fox Faculty Award for multidisciplinary excellence
• 2018: ASEE Distinguished Educator Award

As director of MEERC, he has secured $20M+ in grants from NASA, NSF, and national labs. His lab has deployed multiple CubeSats to the International Space Station and developed 15+ U.S. patents in digital signal propagation and radiation-hardened computing. He mentors graduate students in both technical and educational research areas.