Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering
Introduction
Biomedical Engineering can be defined as the application of engineering tools and analysis to problems in medicine. Because this is a broad definition, it is possible to find biomedical engineers with a broad variety of backgrounds. While most start with an undergraduate egree in Biomedical Engineering, many start with traditional disciplines such as Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering. These people become biomedical engineers because they have a strong interest in medical roblems, and they obtain the knowledge and training that they need to work in this area through a variety of ways. Others may have degrees in chemistry or biology, or in related fields. Formal curricula in Biomedical Engineering have been established in universities only ithin the last few decades. However, Biomedical Engineering has existed for centuries.
Historical Notes on the Louisiana Tech Biomedical Engineering Program
The Biomedical Engineering Program was established in 1972 and was the seventh undergraduate biomedical engineering program in the country to be accredited by ABET, the primary engineering accrediting board in the United States. Its first chair, Dr. Daniel D. Reneau is highly regarded for his work on oxygen transport across the placenta and is now the President of the University. The program has played a continuous leadership role in defining the field of biomedical engineering and 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 more recently by
the University of Louisiana System. The Center coordinates biomedical engineering research on the campus, and brings together faculty from the Biomedical Engineering Program, the Biological Sciences Department, the Institute for Micromanufacturing, and the Center for umerical Simulation and Modeling. CyBERS has long had international acclaim for its research in physiological modeling and for its research and service in rehabilitation engineering. In collaboration with Louisiana Tech's Institute for Micromanufacturing, CyBERS has eveloped expertise in the growing field of Biomedical Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (BioMEMS) and Biomedical Nanotechnology. The program views activity in the areas of micro and nano-engineering as highly important to its growth. As a consequence, the new iomedical Engineering building, completed in 2007, is physically connected to the current Institute for Micromanufacturing. The number of faculty in the Biomedical Engineering program has grown extensively in the past few years. In August of 1997 the program had 5 faculty members, including Dr. Reneau. As of Fall 2008 the number of faculty numbers 10, including President Reneau, the Dean of the College of Engineering and Science (Dr. Napper), and the Academic Director for Biomedical Engineering (Dr. Guilbeau).
