Anna Bird (center), a Purdue biomedical engineering junior, accepted the AEMB Outstanding Chapter Activity award on behalf of the Purdue chapter at the AEMB annual meeting. Bird is flanked by Teresa Murray (right), National President of AEMB and faculty at Louisiana Tech University and Anthony McGoron (left), Past National President of AEMB and faculty at Florida International University.

The awards were announced at the Biomedical Engineering Society annual conference in Phoenix on October 13. Anna Bird, a biomedical engineering junior, accepted the awards on behalf of the Purdue chapter. 

The national awards are designed to promote and encourage excellence in scholastic achievements, leadership and service to the field. These awards recognize outstanding accomplishments by students, faculty and AEMB chapters nationwide.

The Outstanding Chapter Activity award recognizes an AEMB chapter that presents a creative activity that maximizes the development and growth of its members. The Purdue chapter was honored for an outreach activity at a local elementary school where students were introduced to biomedical engineering and were able to design and prototype prosthetic devices, do laparoscopic imaging, and clear arterial buildup through hands-on simulation activities that the AEMB members developed.

Katherine Lin (BSBME '17) was the vice president of the AEMB Purdue chapter in 2016-17 and was instrumental in developing a biomechanics tutoring session, which was recognized with the AEMB Outstanding Chapter Officer award.

The Outstanding Chapter Officer award recognizes a chapter officer who has given his/her utmost dedication and support toward advancing the goals and status of the chapter while maintaining strong leadership, academics and character. The award was given to recognize the efforts of Katherine Lin, vice president of the organization in 2016-17. Lin worked with Sarah Calve, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, and teaching assistant Kathryn Jacobson to develop study materials and organize a tutoring session that was hosted by the AEMB chapter prior to a biomechanics exam.

“We focus on professional development, academics, networking and community involvement,” said Bahar Dhowan, the chapter’s current president. “This year we are emphasizing professional development and, based on the good  participation and feedback we got from the tutoring session last year, we plan to hold another one this year.”

The Purdue AEMB chapter is advised by Asem Aboelzahab, laboratory and assessment coordinator for the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.