The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is devoted to developing and using engineering and technology to advance human health and well-being and to building the next generation of biomedical engineers to realize that vision. Innovative technologies are being developed and medical advances are occurring at a rapid rate while global problems are increasing in complexity. In order to keep pace and meet challenges, biomedical engineering must train and develop the best talent and draw that talent from all sectors. BMES is uniquely positioned as a professional society to play an active role in leading the discipline and shaping the future of biomedical engineering. Beyond research and educational presentations, through its Annual Meeting, BMES will provide opportunities for strategic network building, career development and advancement, sharing ideas, recognizing and promoting talent, developing and promoting professional excellence and broadening the participation of underserved and underrepresented groups. The theme of this year's meeting is """"""""From Molecules to Devices"""""""" and it will be held in Seattle, Washington from September 25-28, 2013. A record 4,000+ attendees are anticipated for the 2013 meeting based upon previous attendance records and abstract submissions. The main program consists of 19 parallel technical Program Tracks providing over 900 oral presentations and over 1,600 poster presentations. The meeting will also feature three one-day workshops, four plenary lectures by distinguished academic, translational and industry leaders, special symposia, and a variety of special sessions. Career opportunities are afforded through a Meet the Faculty Candidate Poster Session and a Career Fair for students to interact with representatives from industry. Pre-conference workshops address important contemporary issues in biomedical engineering (BME) and provide opportunities for career development: Coulter College focuses on coaching students through translating discoveries in the lab to viable clinical products;BME-IDEA, gives faculty the opportunity to understand issues in technology transfer and commercialization;and COACh offers professional development for graduate students and post-doctorates. This conference proposal seeks funding to support new and existing activities specifically targeted toward younger and junior members, underrepresented minorities, individuals with disabilities, women and others who are underserved and under-engaged by the Society. It is expected that these activities will be recurring on an annual basis and will contribute to a comprehensive approach by BMES to ensure development of a diverse technically competent biomedical engineering workforce.
The BMES Annual Meeting is highly interdisciplinary and is the premiere conference for the BME field. It brings together different BME communities in academics, translation and industry, and is co- sponsored by several prestigious BME-related societies. The intellectual content of the meeting will provide important cross-fertilization of ideas, concepts, tools, and approaches, and will highlight the importance of BME as the intersection of Biology, Medicine, and Engineering. Through the integration of scientific, educational and career development programming, the meeting is a vehicle for educating and promoting excellence in the discipline.
