In October, faculty, staff and students from Texas A&M University's Department of Biomedical Engineering gathered in Baltimore, Maryland, for the annual Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) meeting. During a five-day event, the meeting hosted various sessions allowing biomedical engineers across the globe to present research findings, share new advancements in technology, and network with prospective students and peers.
Organizers and leaders of sessions included seven faculty from the biomedical engineering department: Drs. Reza Avaz, Annie Hedman, Abhishek Jain, Shreya Raghavan, Limei Tian, Lucas Timmins and Feng Zhao.
Zhao, a professor, was track chair for Cardiovascular Engineering and moderated nine sessions at the conference. She says the opportunity for faculty to be included in organizing the conference at this level shows active involvement in advancing the field and positions the department as a leader in research.
“It opens doors for collaborations and attracts talented individuals, while also contributing to the future direction of the field,” she said. “As a track chair, I focused on the most recent advancements and breakthroughs in the field of cardiovascular engineering.”
The meeting’s sessions included poster and oral presentations given by faculty, graduate and undergraduate researchers from universities and institutions worldwide. In her role, Zhao said she selected presentations with comprehensive and up-to-date perspectives on the field.
“The track served as a platform for fostering meaningful interactions, offering attendees valuable opportunities to engage with peers, faculty and leading experts,” she said. “By facilitating these exchanges, the track not only enhanced students' knowledge but also helped them build professional networks and gain insights into emerging trends and challenges in cardiovascular engineering.”
Participants from Texas A&M biomedical engineering contributed twenty-five presentations — ranging from cardiovascular biomechanics to improving engineering education — with most of those being delivered by undergraduate and graduate students.
“Presenting at such events is crucial for disseminating our research outcomes and gaining visibility within the scientific community,” Zhao said. “It provides the opportunity to receive valuable feedback and insights from peers, helping to refine their work. This experience is invaluable for career development, enhancing communication skills and future academic and professional opportunities.”
Graduate student Azra Tarman presented her work on using lasers for detecting important health markers, like glucose or proteins related to diseases, as a fast and cost-effective way to build sensors that could help with early disease detection or personalized medicine.
Tarman said the experience exposed her to the latest trends and technologies, broadening her perspective of potential advancements in her field and strengthening her passion for improving healthcare.
“Presenting at BMES was an incredible experience. It felt rewarding to share my hard work with such a diverse and knowledgeable audience,” she said. “Knowing that my research could inspire others or even spark collaboration was deeply fulfilling.”
Tamran concluded by sharing the benefits of attending a conference of BMES caliber as a student and researcher.
“Attending BMES reminded me of how interconnected biomedical engineering is,” she said. “Whether it’s biosensors, imaging, or tissue engineering, each innovation contributes to the bigger picture of improving lives. It’s inspiring to be part of a field that’s constantly pushing boundaries and making a real difference."