As global health issues continue to rise, so too will the demand for biomedical engineers who are prepared to address such challenges in international settings. A study abroad program is a logical choice for students seeking to add international experience to their resume, and Purdue offers more than 350 general study abroad programs in dozens of countries. But until a few years ago, none were specific to biomedical engineering, and for Weldon students, who have a rigorous engineering curriculum, a general semester abroad program would often extend their academic tenure.

While many college students returned home last summer and worked odd jobs that likely had little to do with their aspirational careers, Weldon undergraduate student Max Youngs stayed at Purdue and worked as a researcher on a technology that may one day appear in a clinical setting.

A new academic advisor at the Weldon School is working solely with undergraduates to ensure all biomedical engineering students have the resources they need to succeed. Jana Castellanos joined the Weldon School in July 2013 as an undergraduate advisor. She hails from Bogota, Colombia and graduated from the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in higher education. Castellanos has dual citizenship in both Colombia and the United States.

Weldon undergraduate students Jennifer Munley and Alexander Kokini were the 2013 recipients of the Havel-Decker Scholarship in Biomedical Engineering.

In December 2013, Dr. Charles Babbs (MD, PhD), faculty member of the Weldon School, was inducted into the Book of Great Teachers at Purdue University. Only 384 professors have received this honor in the history of the award.