Purdue Biomedical Engineering Society student chapter receives national recognition

Purdue Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering students have won the 2018 Biomedical Engineering Society Student Chapter – Outstanding Chapter Industry Award. This award is given to chapters that continually provide their student body with strong industry relations that help with post-graduation decisions.
Members of the Purdue BMES Student Chapter Executive Board, 2017-2018.
Members of the Purdue BMES Student Chapter Executive Board, 2017-2018.

The BMES student chapter was recognized for new programming that increased the school’s industry connections and supported professional development opportunities for students.

  • The chapter organized six new events that connected students with researchers and industry partners, including presentations from companies such as Eli Lilly and ZOLL Medical; tours of faculty research labs; and tours of medical device manufacturing facilities, Zimmer Biomet and Depuy Synthes.
  • Undergraduate and graduate students worked together to launch a weekly seminar series, called #BMEBytes, to introduce breakthrough graduate student research happening at the Weldon School to undergraduate students. Undergraduate students vote on topics of interest, and a different graduate student gives a new presentation each week. The series has been a hit, drawing high weekly attendance.
  • At the chapter’s Annual Biomedical Engineering Networking dinner, over 40 undergraduate students joined representatives from seven employers in the biomedical engineering field. Students engaged in casual conversation with industry representatives and learned about opportunities for employment at each of the organizations in attendance.
Student and industry representatives talk shop and job opportunities at the Annual Biomedical Engineering Networking dinner, an event hosted by the Purdue BMES Student Chapter.
Student and industry representatives talk shop and job opportunities at the Annual Biomedical Engineering Networking dinner, an event hosted by the Purdue BMES Student Chapter.

“Through events of this nature, our BMES chapter has sought to make a large impact on the biomedical engineering community at Purdue by enhancing student exposure to professional opportunities,” said Nithya Sridhar, current graduate student and Purdue Weldon School alumna.

“Having been a part of the Purdue BMES chapter for the past three years, last year marked a conscious effort and theme to introduce new professional opportunities to our students while successfully executing our most popular events like the Annual [Biomedical Engineering] Networking Dinner,” Sridhar added. “I am extremely proud of the chapter’s executive board for helping to foster a supportive community within the Weldon School and for providing resources and events for our students to succeed.”

The Purdue BMES graduate and undergraduate student chapters are advised by Craig Goergen and Tamara Kinzer-Ursem, both assistant professors in biomedical engineering. The students will be recognized at the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting October 17-20.