BMES Student Chapters
The Cornell Chapters of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) promote the profession of biomedical engineering (BME) through research, educational outreach, and advocacy of engineering approaches to biology and human health.
Cornell BMES student chapters work to promote personal growth and development of students by expanding existing programs and implementing new initiatives. Some recent initiatives include the following:
The annual Cornell BMES Research Retreat provides a forum for students to present their research to a technical audience and increases industry exposure of BME research at Cornell. Speakers and posters present the cutting-edge research occurring at the Meinig School. Biomedical technology companies often sponsor this event and industry representatives interact with students throughout the retreat. Past sponsors include West Pharmaceutical Services, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Angel Medical Systems, Becton, Dickinson, and Co., and Bose-Electroforce.
Cornell BME also hosts numerous professional development events for students throughout the year.
- Work-In-Progress Luncheons (a.k.a. WIP lunches) are a forum for students to present their current research, and receive feedback from students and faculty members. Students can present anything from a proof of concept for an experiment to final results. Presentations are followed by questions and input from the larger group, and afterwards a selected faculty member will sit down with each student and give further comments.
- The Professional Development Committee organizes site tours and visits to Advion-Quintiles and brought in representatives of Mass General and Siemens for professional seminars.
- Cornell BMES has expanded its initiatives to include many outreach events on campus and in the greater Ithaca community including:
- Girl Scout Engineering Day
- Upward Bound Saturday Academy
- STEAM Night at Caroline Elementary School
- Expanding Your Horizons
- Community Workdays at Ithaca Sciencenter
- Into the Streets
Interested in contacting the student chapter(s) of the biomedical engineering society at Cornell?
For information about outreach activities, industry partnerships, and professional group networking opportunities, contact your respective BMES group:
Graduate students email: cornellbmes@cornell.edu
Undergraduate students: cornell.bmesundergrad@gmail.com
Girl Scout Engineering Day
Across two days (one in spring and one in fall), BMES hosted over 200 Girl Scouts from grades 2-12 at Weill Hall for a full day of events introducing various fields of engineering. Interactive activities included understanding the mechanisms of cancer through role playing, biomechanics of bone, orthopedics, designing their own tissue disease transmission/vaccine development, drug delivery and polymer synthesis, water filtration, and more.
Into the Streets
As part of Cornell’s largest day of service, members of BMES volunteered at the Cancer Resource Center’s annual 5K run in support of cancer research where BMES cheered and supported participants as well as assisted in organizing the logistics of the event.
BMES National Conference
Representing the Meinig School at the 2017 BMES Annual Conference table.
Annual Graduate BMES Wine Tour
The graduate BMES chapter organizes a fall wine tour around Seneca Lake, about an hour from Cornell. ~30 students take a charter bus to four different wineries, where they are able to sample wines, take in the scenic views, and purchase local favorites.