Florida Atlantic: Where Engineering and Medicine Meet

A new Department of Biomedical Engineering was recently established in Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, in recognition of a rapidly growing field. Biomedical engineering merges principles from electrical and mechanical engineering, biology, computer science and medicine to tackle health challenges and enhance health care delivery. The new department is focused on three key areas: biomaterials and tissue engineering, smart health systems and bio-robotics.

"The impetus to create this new department was spurred by the significant projected growth of job opportunities related to this field nationally, statewide and in particular, in Southeast Florida," said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a projected growth of 5% from 2022 to 2032 for employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers, faster than the average for all other occupations (3%). As of May 2023, the median annual wage for bioengineers and biomedical engineers was $99,550.

"Our Department of Biomedical Engineering provides students interested in both engineering and the medical fields with innovative curricula that focuses on technical knowledge, advanced research methods and instrumentation, integration of computer science knowledge, and internship opportunities," said Javad Hashemi, Ph.D., inaugural chair and professor of the new department, associate dean for research, and a professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Florida Atlantic’s four-year biomedical engineering program is one of the first programs in the nation to offer the opportunity for studying and integrating artificial intelligence into a 4+1 bachelor’s and master’s program. In this program, the students receive a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and a master’s degree in artificial intelligence.

"From cancer to neurological disorders to cardiovascular disease, our biomedical engineers will be the masterminds behind innovative AI-powered technologies and therapies that are changing the landscape of medicine and health care as we know it," Hashemi said.

Faculty members in the College of Engineering and Computer Science are already performing state-of-theart research and development around health and medicine sponsored by key government funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Florida Department of Health and other philanthropic entities. Sponsored research topics include advanced biomedical devices for point-of-care testing, tissue engineering, hybrid bio-robotics for assistive technologies, opto-electronics and bio-photonics, and processing and analyzing of bio-signals for detection of pathology.

Florida Atlantic’s existing engineering research has created fertile ground for the formation of this new department and further boosts the college’s expanding research program. The interdisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering also magnifies research excellence university-wide through collaborations with the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

"The Department of Biomedical Engineering is an exciting addition to our programs within the college and builds on our existing strengths and resources, our stellar faculty and the outstanding collaborations we have across the university," Batalama said. "Biomedical engineering students will learn from faculty across many engineering departments and will be part of crossdisciplinary collaborations on campus and throughout the community."