Student Chapter Information

Resources

• Chapter List

  Check out the list of compliant University and High School student chapters.

  

   

• Annual Renewal Information

  Each Student Chapter is required to renew its Charter with the BMES national office on an annual basis.  Renewal is completed by submitting a Chapter Development Report (CDR) to BMES on April 15, making this task mandatory.

  Review the guidelines and award eligibility for Chapter Development Reports.

  

• Chapter Committees & Programs

  Recommendations for Establishing Committees and Programs

  Chapter Committees

  In general, committees exist to put emphasis on various chapter activities.  When appointing committees, the officers should be mindful of expectations and goals.
  
  When organizing Chapter Committees, it is important:

  1. The purpose and objectives of the committee are well defined.
  2. The members of the committee understand their respective responsibilities.
  3. The committee has clearly defined goals.

  Possible Chapter Committees:

  Membership Committee

  The Membership Committee serves to promote the growth of the chapter through membership recruitment throughout the student body. 

  Program Committee

  The purpose of the Program Committee is to coordinate, promote, and supervise all the program activities of the chapter. 

  Mentor Program Committee

  The purpose of the Mentor Program Committee is to help younger/newer students identify mentors from the senior level/upper class students.

  Constitution and Bylaws Committee

  This purpose of the C&B Committee is to review and make recommendations for changes to the Student Chapter’s C&B.  

  Special Committees

  Other committees may be established as required.  Their functions will be delegated by the Chapter President.

  Chapter Programs

  Student chapter programs can be divided into three types: technical, professional, and social. 

  • Technical programs focus on biomedical engineering technology—its advances and development.
  • Professional programs provide students with information on interviewing and resumes, as well as the profession’s expectations beyond the technical information learned in school.
  • Social programs give student members an opportunity to interact outside the structured learning environment.

  Providing a balanced approach to chapter programs should benefit the student, the chapter, BMES, and the educational institution.  They also provide a basis for an award system to recognize outstanding student chapters.

• Awards

  BMES recognizes our student chapters' outstanding contributions to the biomedical engineering field by awarding those who demonstrate leadership, commitment, growth, integrity, and ingenuity.

  In order to be considered for one of the awards, you must be a compliant student chapter and you must submit a Chapter Development Report (CDR) by May 1.

  

• Job Board

  Take advantage of our job seeker account features to help you do your research, find the right job opportunity, and get your experience and skill set in front of your ideal employer.

  

• Mentorship

  The mentorship program pairs student biomedical engineers with an established professional (mentor) who has agreed to be in communication with the chapter for guidance or help on a specific program, activity, or student chapter workshop.

  The program provides participants with the following benefits:

  • one-on-one interactions with a more senior biomedical engineer who will serve as a project mentor
  • an opportunity to receive evaluation and advice from their mentor
  • a continuing opportunity to expand their mentoring, collaboration, and networks

• Chapter Constitution & Bylaws

  Once your Student Chapter Charter is accepted, you will receive a welcome letter and a copy of the  Student Chapter Constitution.

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  The BMES Student Chapter must be referred to as BMES Student Chapter followed by the name or acronym of the university.  For example, BMES Student Chapter San Jose State University or BMES Student Chapter SJSU. BMES Student Chapters cannot refer to themselves simply as BMES as this refers only to the Biomedical Engineering Society and is a trademark.

  The first Chapter meeting should be held to:

  1. Elect officers.
  2. Create a Constitution and Bylaws. 

  Recommendations for Student Chapter Operations 

  The student chapter is governed by elected officers subject to their Constitution and Bylaws.

  Faculty Advisor

  The Faculty Advisor maintains the ultimate responsibility and continuity for the Student Chapter. 

  The Faculty Advisor must be a member or Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society in good standing.

  Chapter Officers

  The basic structure of a student chapter should include the Faculty Advisor and the chapter officers.  The chapter officers should include a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  A Student Affairs representative may be added as well.  The Faculty Advisor is responsible for assuring the chapter’s compliance with all university and Society policies and improving the chapter’s leadership and activity programs.  Additional officers may be added depending upon Chapter’s goals.

  Recommendation for Electing Chapter Officers

  To ensure continuity between the incoming and outgoing officers of a Student Chapter, BMES recommends (in conjunction with the Student Chapter’s Constitution and Bylaws) the President appoint a Nominating Committee (at the Chapter’s late fall meeting) of three voting members in good standing.  At least one former officer should be appointed to this committee.  The chapter President should instruct the committee:

  1. To present, at a pre-election meeting, a slate of nominees to be voted on at the election meeting. Nominees should be for the offices of:
  2. President
  3. Vice President
  4. Secretary
  5. Treasurer
  6. Student Affairs Representative and,
  7. Any additional offices developed by the chapter.
  8. To obtain, from each nominee, a declaration of willingness to accept responsibility and serve in the designated office.
  9. To prepare and bring before the election meeting, a short personal history/bio of each nominee.

  At the election meeting, the chapter President should again present the names of the nominees.  The President may request additional nominations, for each office from the floor.  It is also the duty of the President to ensure all person’s voting are members qualified to vote.  All new officers should take office in March to guarantee a period of overlap and support from the outgoing officers during their initial period in office.

• Chapter Playbook

  The Student Chapter Playbook is a compendium of successful chapter activities, workshops, events, and fundraisers, taken from the annual Student Chapter Development Reports. These development reports are open to any compliant BMES student chapter to submit and are evaluated to award BMES eight outstanding student chapter awards.

  This Playbook was developed to help our chapters, new and old, make better use of their time by minimizing the brainstorming and planning stage and maximizing chapter benefits by bringing great ideas to your door. Inside you'll find programs covering all the main areas chapters focus on, including;

  Fundraising Activities and Programs

  Industry Activities and Programs

  Mentorship Activities and Programs

  Inter-Chapter Activities and Programs

  Community Outreach Activities and Programs

  Social Activities and Programs, marked Other

  

  This Playbook is intended to be a living document and as such, will be updated annually after the submission of the May CDRs (Chapter Development Reports). All CDRs are evaluated for new and impressive programs, and those activities are added to the Playbook.