Biomedical engineering (BME) programs attract students with a range of post-graduation aspirations including medical school, graduate school, engineering-focused industry, biotechnology-focused industry, etc. [1]–[3]. This diversity in how students aim to utilize their BME degree may reflect diversity in their motivation to study BME, their educational expectations, and even their perception of the field [2], [4]. Understanding the relationship between these factors would allow BME programs, at both the curricular and individual course levels, to better balance students’ interests and expectations as well as better support students' career goals. This work-in-progress uses preliminary student survey data to explore one such type of relationship – that between students’ perceptions of BME and their career plans and goals. This report will present the findings of this initial exploration, introduce two theoretical frameworks commonly used to study engineering student career paths, and discuss the implications of both on the development of a future multi-institutional study of BME students.
Nicole is an assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering at West Chester University of PA (WCU, West Chester, PA). At WCU, she teaches across the curriculum including introductory, laboratory, biomechanics, and design courses. Her research includes both soft tissue mechanics and engineering education with a focus on undergraduate biomedical engineering students. Prior to this role, Nicole was a lecturer at Shantou University in Shantou, Guangdong Province, China supporting the development of an English-taught biomedical engineering program. This position was the result of a collaboration between Shantou University and the University of Michigan where Nicole served as an instructional post-doctoral fellow from 2018 to 2020. Her educational background includes a B.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in bioengineering from Kettering University (Flint, MI) and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO).
In February 2021 Dr. Huang-Saad joined the Bioengineering faculty at Northeastern University and became the Director
of Life Sciences and Engineering Programs at The Roux Institute (Portland, Maine). Dr. Huang-Saad has a fourteen-
year history of bringing about organizational change in higher education, leveraging evidence-based practices
at University of Michigan. She created the U-M BME graduate design program, co-founded the U-M College of Engineering Center for Entrepreneurship, launched the U-M National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Node,
and developed the U-M BME Instructional Incubator. She is a canonical instructor for both the NSF and National
Institute of Health (NIH) I-Corps Programs. Dr. Huang- Saad has received numerous awards for her teaching and
student advising, including the 1938E College of Engineering Award, the Thomas M. Sawyer, Jr. Teaching Award, the
U-M ASEE Outstanding Professor Award, the International Teaching with Sakai Innovation Award, and the College of
Engineering Outstanding Student Advisor Award. Aileen has worked in the private sector gaining experience in biotech, defense, and medical device testing at large companies and start-ups. Aileen’s current research areas include entrepreneurship engineering education, impact and engaged learning. Aileen has a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, a Doctorate of Philosophy from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
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