Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering is the discipline of engineering that applies fundamentals from engineering, the basic sciences, the medical sciences and mathematics to solve problems in medicine and biology and to understand, modify or control biological systems. Biomedical Engineering is the discipline of engineering that is primarily concerned with living systems. Biomedical engineering is a challenging, stimulating, and diverse professional field.

Career Opportunities

Graduates seek employment opportunities in the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries or in government agencies. Some graduates seek entry into a professional school (e.g. medical school, law school, veterinary school), or continue their education in graduate school. Biomedical engineers work in many rewarding areas: for example, the design and construction of artificial internal organs, the design and application of the electronics and instrumentation associated with hospital operating rooms, intensive care units, imaging laboratories, and automated clinical laboratories; the development of biomedical computer systems; the functional rehabilitation of disabled persons through appropriate application and development of technology; the practice of clinical engineering; aerospace medicine and life science; and basic research. The need for biomedical engineering professionals trained in the basic principles and applications of engineering, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry and the medical sciences is expected to grow in the future as new discoveries arising from modern biotechnology produces new products aimed at improving human health and welfare. A special feature of the Biomedical Engineering Program is that upon or before graduation, students may complete the basic requirements necessary for admission to medical school. The program provides a strong quantitative background for one who wishes to pursue a future medical career. Another feature of the program is that upon completion of the Biomedical Engineering degree program in any of the specialties, the student will be adequately prepared to continue his/her education at the graduate level by pursuing a Master of Science and/or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biomedical Engineering. Continued professional education in business, law, and the basic medical sciences is also possible. Internships are also available to undergraduates to help in making these important career decisions.

Enrollment

Outstanding students from around the world come to Tech for undergraduate or graduate study in Biomedical Engineering. Undergraduate enrollment in Biomedical Engineering at Louisiana Tech University during the last ten years has consistently ranged between 130 to 160 full-time undergraduates. The program is designed to be large enough to provide the student with a strong academic degree but small enough to give the individual whatever attention is needed to insure academic success. Approximately 50% of the biomedical engineering undergraduate students are from outside the state of Louisiana, about 50% of the biomedical engineering enrollment is female and approximately 25% is from under-represented minority groups. The Program is known as one of the premier programs of the University and the State.

History of Biomedical Engineering Education at Louisiana Tech University

The Biomedical Engineering Program at Louisiana Tech University was established in 1972 with degrees at the BS, MS and PhD levels.. Its first chair, Dr. Daniel D. Reneau, is now the President of the University. The Bachelor of Science degree was first accredited in 1978 and has maintained continuous accreditation since that date. As the seventh ABET-accredited undergraduate biomedical engineering program in the country, Louisiana Tech's biomedical engineering program has played a continuous leadership role in defining the nascent field of biomedical engineering. The program has the reputation for producing graduates who are industrious, loyal, and well-qualified for engineering and/or management practice or continuing study at the graduate/profession level. The program has an excellent educational environment for our students with a well-qualified and dedicated faculty and staff, excellent facilities, and a high level of faculty-student interaction, The program also benefits from the active involvement of an Biomedical Engineering Advisory Board consisting of representatives from our alumni and employers that contributes in a variety of ways to the quality of the educational experience provided to our students. The program was one of the first in the country to award a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. The Center for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science (CyBERS) has been identified as a Center of Excellence at Louisiana Tech University, first by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1985 when it was established, and recently by the University of Louisiana System in a review of all its colleges and universities. The Center coordinates all biomedical engineering research on the campus, such that strong ties are in place with academic programs in Biomedical Engineering, the other engineering disciplines, the physical and biological Sciences, Tech's Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM) - another Center of Excellence, and Tech's Center for Numerical Simulation and Modeling. CyBERS and its closely affiliated Biomedical Engineering academic program have long had international acclaim for its research and its rehabilitation engineering and science research and service. Through partnership with the world-class facilities and researchers in the If M, CyBERS has developed expertise in the growing BioMEMS field.