AIMBE Annual Event highlights


Braving unusual snows, over 200 individuals attended the 12th Annual Event of The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering on February 20th-24th at the National Academy of Sciences and the Westrin Grand Hotel in Washington.

Thursday's program featured presentations by a number of program managers and federal agency representatives at the symposium on "Federal Programs in Medical and Biological Engineering." The program, co-sponsored by AIMBE and the National Science Foundation, was chaired by AIMBE Fellow Sohi Rastegar.

On Friday, participants gathered at the main auditorium of the National Academy of Sciences for the major symposium session on "Bioengineering Education in the 21st Century." Chaired by AIMBE Fellow Janie Fouke, the symposium featured topical sessions on platform technologies for contemporary bioengineering inquiry, industry and bioengineering education, and education in and about bioengineering.

The keynote address was delivered by Roderic I. Pettigrew, the first director of the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), who shared with the audience the progress made by NIBIB during its first full year of operation.

The highlight of the day was the induction of 57 individuals into AIMBE's College of Fellows.

Saturday's program featured three forums - on bioengineering education outreach, continuing education in bioengineering, and Strategic Working AIMBE Teams (SWAT teams) in action.

SWAT Teams swing into action

A new feature of this year's program was the initiation of Strategic Working AIMBE Teams (SWATs). The forum and overall project was initiated by outgoing AIMBE President Buddy Ratner.

An estimated 100 AIMBE Fellows demonstrated much enthusiasm at the first sessions.

Six SWAT teams were formed:

The SWAT teams will be working throughout the year, and serve as an excellent way for Fellows to become involved. Contact any of the SWAT chairs to take part, or contact Buddy Ratner, coordinator of the overall SWAT effort, at ratner@uweb.engr.washington.edu.

AIMBE Board of Directors meeting

The AIMBE Board met on Sunday, February 23, at the conclusion of the Annual Event. Highlights:

President's Greetings
President Art Coury welcomed new Board members, and expressed thanks to those members continuing in their service to AIMBE. He announced several goals for the forthcoming year, namely: to reach financial goals of the Institute, cultivate ongoing relationships with the radiology community, maintain the value of achievements made (e.g., biomaterial availability), growing the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), assuring a positive Annual Event in 2004, making sure all components of AIMBE's membership are seen as equal partners, and increasing our visibility to the public and scientific community.

Several planned activities in this regard include: a review of the Galletti Award Committee structure and function, continuation and enhancement of the SWAT teams, and creation of a new Fellows orientation program in 2004.

Coury also announced the results of the AIMBE and College of Fellows elections. Don Giddens was elected as AIMBE President-Elect; Linda Griffith and Herb Voigt were elected as AIMBE Vice Presidents At-Large; and Ken Diller was elected as AIMBE College of Fellows Chair-Elect.

Past President's Remarks
Ratner thanked the Board for their support during the past year. He remarked on goals and achievements during his tenure, including the establishment of SWAT teams to address important public policy issues and to involve more members in AIMBE, and the planning of two Annual Event programs simultaneously.

IFMBE
Dov Jaron presented a report on activities of the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE). AIMBE is the United States representative to IFMBE, and Jaron serves as its current President. The most recent conferences were held in Vienna, Austria and in Singapore. The major achievement of the group during the past year has been the establishment of a representative group in Europe, which has been a challenging goal given the number of countries involved.

AIMBE needs to name delegates for the next World Congress, to be held in August 2003. The consensus was that delegates need to be named by August of this year.

Annual Event 2004
Frank Yin presented the preliminary outline for the program for the AIMBE Annual Event for 2004, the title of which is "The Intersection of Imaging and Biomedical Engineering," to be held February 26 - March 1, 2004. A program planning committee is in place and making progress on the full program.

Academic Council
Eugene Eckstein reported that the Academic Council, at its meeting earlier in the day, approved the membership of two new full members (University of California at Irvine and Binghamton University) and the affiliate membership of Bucknell University. The Board approved adoption of the memberships.

Council of Societies
Michael Ackerman reported on the Council meeting held earlier that day. The Council made several suggestions to the AIMBE Board, the following of which were adopted:

  1. That AIMBE annually ask each AIMBE Fellow to indicate up to three Societies which each individual is involved in as an active member.
  2. The following should be added to the Annual Event program book:
    1. the AIMBE mission statement and current policy issues,
    2. comprehensive abstracts; c) alphabetical list of members with present affiliation, primary society membership, and year of election;
    3. list of AIMBE Board members;
    4. list of Council of Society members. The Council's intent will be considered in a revision of the program book.
  3. That AIMBE White Papers be released at a uniform time by AIMBE and all member Societies.

Industry Council
Vince DeCaprio reported that the Industry Council meeting in the earlier part of the day resulted in a discussion on how AIMBE can create value to industry. Two points of consensus emerged: 1) to help create a positive image of medical device companies; and, 2) to help speed the acceptance of innovation in the marketplace.

Two key goals: 1) Increase the number of industry-based Fellows-both starters (innovators) and finishers (those who help get the product to marketplace); and 2) Creation of specific workshops that can serve as a product AIMBE produces that creates value for industry.

AIMBE 13TH ANNUAL EVENT

"Imaging and Bioengineering: Partners for the Future"

February 26 - March 1, 2004
Washington, DC

Thursday, February 26 - Westin Grand Hotel

  • Federal Programs Workshop (co-hosted by AIMBE and the NSF)
  • New Fellows Orientation
  • Council of Chairs Membership Meeting

Friday, February 27 - National Academy of Sciences Engineering and Medicine Building

  • Keynote Speaker : Elias Zerhouni, Director, National Institutes of Health
  • Symposium with Sessions to Include:
    • New Frontiers of Imaging and Bioengineering
    • Best Practices for Translating Laboratory Discoveries to Industry and the Clinic
    • Public Policy Issues Related to Imaging
  • Induction of New Fellows

Saturday, February 28 - Westin Grand Hotel

  • Forums Sponsored by AIMBE's Constituent Membership Groups
  • College of Fellows Membership Meeting
  • Annual Banquet

Sunday, February 29 - Westin Grand Hotel

  • Academic Council, Council of Societies and Industry Council Membership Meetings
  • AIMBE Board of Directors Meeting

Monday, March 1 - Capitol Hill
Scheduled visits with offices of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives