Announcing the 2023 BMES Grade of Fellow Class

August 31, 2023

This year, the Board of Directors is honored to announce that 30 members have joined the ranks as BMES Fellows.

The Fellow grade of membership is a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding achievement in biomedical engineering.

Fellows have demonstrated impactful achievements and made significant contributions to the biomedical engineering community and to BMES. They are active leaders in the profession and within the Society.

The new BMES Fellows will be honored during the 2023 BMES Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA, on October 12 at 4:30 p.m.

A special champagne reception will follow the presentation at 5:15 p.m. where we invite new and existing BMES Fellows to join the celebration and receive a new pin honoring the BMES Grade of Fellow.

Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

The 2023 BMES Grade of Fellows and their achievements in the field of biomedical engineering.
Tamara Baynham	For achievements in supporting the development and commercialization of medical device therapies in the areas of cardiac rhythm management and neuromodulation devices and service in support of healthcare innovation.
Danielle S.W. Benoit	For outstanding contributions to the design of 'smart' materials to treat diseases and injuries, control cell behavior, and develop new therapeutic strategies.
Cynthia Bir	For significant advancements in injury biomechanics from high-speed, small-mass impacts — including in sports, law enforcement, and military scenarios — and for outstanding efforts to excite the public about biomechanics.
Eric Brey	For his 20+ years of experience in biomaterials research, with a focus on engineering vascularized tissue and a commitment to diversifying BME through access to education and research opportunities.
Ke Cheng	For his contributions in translating adult stem cell and exosome therapies for regenerative medicine applications and in the development of new vaccines and biomaterials for COVID-19.
Eunji Chung	For pioneering drug delivery strategies for new diseases and indications while mentoring and supporting the diversity of the next generation of biomedical engineers.
Rafael V. Davalos	For outstanding contributions in biotransport, outreach, and cancer treatment. Inventions are distinct, fighting the full spectrum of cancer, from early detection and isolation of cancer stem cells to metastasis and treatment.
Jianping Fu	For outstanding contributions to the field of stem cell bioengineering and its applications for regenerative medicine and understanding human development.
Akhilesh K. Gaharwar	For achievements in designing advanced biomaterials for regenerative medicine, therapeutic delivery, and additive biomanufacturing, along with his outstanding contributions to the BMES mission.
Samir Ghadiali	For research advances in understanding mechanobiological mechanisms that drive pulmonary airway disease. Educational leadership as department chair at OSU, and service to BMES as track chair (twice) and session chair.
Eileen Haase	For outstanding contributions to biomedical engineering education through pedagogical innovations in high school, undergraduate, and graduate teaching and for contributions to African higher education.
Brian Helmke	For leading the charge in changing the way we teach biomedical engineering fundamentals for large classes while centering equity and inclusion, students’ sense of belonging, and collaborative learning.
Yi Hong	For building an outstanding research record on the development of new biomaterials for tissue repair and regeneration and for significant contributions in service of the biomedical engineering community.
David Jamison	For his record of research and teaching excellence in biomedical engineering, and development of a BME minor program at his institution.
David Kohn	For distinguished contributions and leadership to the fields of biomaterials and biomechanics, with particular emphasis on the regeneration of mineralized tissues and characterization of their mechanical function across dimensional scale.
Aaron Kyle	For his dedication to improving the field through high quality, design-centered instruction, STEM outreach, and purposeful inclusion of DEI into engineering education and practice as an engineering educator.
Michelle C. LaPlaca	For being an inaugural BME faculty member, building curricula and department strategy, and continuing leadership as Associate Chair; President, National Neurotrauma Society; and Associate Editor, Journal of Neurotrauma.
Wendy Liu	For her significant achievements in cellular and biomaterials engineering, advancing the fields of immune cell mechanobiology and immunomodulatory biomaterials.
Keefe B. Manning	For contributions to our understanding of fluid mechanics in cardiovascular devices, including the prediction of clotting and hemolysis.
Karen May-Newman	For research that advanced heart valve constitutive modeling and mechanical circulatory support (LVADs) while creating Bioengineering MS and PhD degree programs and advising the student BMES chapter.
Michael J. McShane	For achievements in modeling/design/fabrication/testing micro/nano-scale photoluminescent biosensors using implantable and wearable biomaterials and electro-optical instrumentation hardware and software as well as notable leadership in academic administration, training, advising, and mentoring future bioengineers, and service to professional societies.
Jon K. Moon	For achievements in techniques to quantify human metabolism and energy balance, for momentary assessments and interventions in behavioral health, and advancing devices for life support.
Jennifer (Jenny) Munson	For developing methods to measure, model, and manipulate flow, bridging imaging, tissue engineering, and biotransport, to push forward our understanding of diseases such as brain cancer.
Marvin J. Slepian	For achievements as an innovator and leader who has invented, researched, translated and brought into clinical use the first biodegradable stents, polymer paving systems, novel valves and the total artificial heart.
Sarah Stabenfeldt	For outstanding contributions to the biomedical engineering community through leadership, education, and scholarship in advancing neural tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, nanoparticle therapeutics, and biomarker discovery for the injured brain.
Jessica E. Wagenseil	For fundamental biomechanical and mechanobiological contributions to our understanding of how large elastic arteries remodel and adapt during development and disease. Also, for the tireless building of programs designed to promote inclusion and quality mentoring within the profession, and leading diversity and inclusion efforts in BME and STEM more broadly.
Cedric Frank Walker	For achievements in engineering education, especially the introduction of rapid prototyping and “making” throughout the curriculum. For the design of implantable electrodes, and also, for service to the BMES in accreditation.
Lisa Waples	For creating/implementing career conferences, BMES student career content, Coulter College (total impact thousands of BME students). Director of commercialization courses for NIH/VA (impact 400 innovation teams)
Jennifer Wayne	For developing computational tools to understand the biomechanics of joints and effects of injuries and surgical procedures; and for service to BMES and the BME education community related to accreditation.