Biomedical Engineering Program Welcomes Inaugural Class

The University’s biomedical engineering (BME) program has launched its inaugural class, with enrollment about 20 percent greater than anticipated.

Twenty-four students, about 70 percent of them female, are in the new program, illustrating great interest and demand in the field.

“That gender ratio is unheard of in an engineering program,” said Program Director Dr. John Viator. “BME is clearly one of the programs that has strong interest from diverse and under-represented students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects. We’re proud to be part of building a more diverse STEM workforce.”

Besides enrolling students from Pennsylvania, the program’s students come from New Jersey, New York, Ohio and West Virginia as well as Africa and South Korea.

As part of Orientation week activities, BME students and their families heard from Capt. Richard Coleman, retired from the U.S. Navy, discuss leadership for young engineers on Aug. 22.