Letter from the Chair
Greetings! We are happy that you are interested in learning more about bioengineering and about our Department.
Bioengineering is a field that has, from its origins, been multidisciplinary and highly diverse — it is constantly reinventing itself. My own view is that bioengineering is the space between medicine and the physical sciences, and between basic physiology and applied research in engineering. We have always been a home for mavericks who didn’t quite fit into the confines of more traditional (and static) disciplines. Given trends in all of the bordering disciplines, I’m certain that Bioengineering will become the central discipline for moving science, engineering, and medicine forward in the 21st century. These are exciting times to be a bioengineer!
And it's particularly a good time to be a bioengineer here. Situated in Seattle, a vibrant city
on spectacular Puget Sound, the University of Washington is one of the largest and most prestigious research universities
in the United States, with top-ranked departments across campus in many disciplines. One of our greatest advantages
is that Bio
engineering was equally grounded in the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering at its founding
in 1967 by Dr. Robert Rushmer, and remains a joint enterprise of both schools today. Under the inspired leadership
of Chairs Rushmer, James Bassingthwaighte, Lee Huntsman and Yongmin Kim, the Department of Bioengineering has
grown in size, complexity, funding, and stature.
We are 35 core faculty, 38 adjunct faculty, 37 affiliate faculty, 105 graduate students, 140 undergraduate students and over 80 staff members, including 35 postdoctoral fellows.
For decades our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have gone on to become world leaders in academia, industry, and government. In 2008 our rapidly growing undergraduate program, which has as a central feature 100% participation in a significant laboratory work, was accredited by ABET.
Our equal footing in the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering allows us to garner very strong research support from federal agencies, particularly from NIH. The research ranges from relatively basic studies of physiology, to very applied work aimed at near-term clinical applications; the two extremes of work inform each other in a very productive way. We also have a strong history of translating research into patents, licenses, start-up companies, and products with significant impact on health. Our funding under the Coulter Translational Research Partnerships is one aspect of our strength in converting research into products.
Strong external partnerships exist with many other departments in the College of Engineering and the School of Medicine, and with the Center for Industrial and Medical Ultrasound (CIMU) at the Applied Physics Laboratory, Seattle Children’s and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Today we are poised to build on our historical disciplinary strengths, and to increase our presence in new areas of research. This is based in part on strong ties being formed between our department at other entities on campus and in the Seattle area. New alliances with the UW Department of Global Health, PATH, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation are strengthening our program, along with campus-wide initiatives in Neural Engineering and Molecular Engineering.
Explore our faculty and research sections to find more about our work.
With strong research programs and funding, and innovative partnerships, the Department of Bioengineering is an exciting place to be as a student, or a member of the staff and faculty. New discoveries and technologies arising from rapidly advancing multidisciplinary endeavors are already revolutionizing the healthcare system, and our people are helping to make it happen.
The Department of Bioengineering is committed to training a cadre of interdisciplinary professionals who will be equipped with the skills to become the leaders of science, engineering and medicine in the new century.
If you have questions (and I hope you do), you should begin by exploring our web site further. We’ve put a lot of information about us within a few clicks. Next, contact us. We’ll be happy to discuss your questions with you. Thanks again for your interest!
— Paul Yager, Ph.D.
Professor and W. Hunter and Dorothy L. Simpson Endowed Chair
