Message from the Chair

Welcome to the USC Department of Biomedical Engineering. Since our early roots as an option within electrical engineering in 1963, we have maintained a longstanding tradition of advancing biomedicine through the development and application of novel engineering ideas. Our department, founded in 1976, includes over 80 primary and affiliated faculty members that conduct cutting-edge research in a wide variety of areas, including neuroengineering, biosystems and biosignal analysis, medical devices and implants, bioimaging and imaging informatics, and systems cellular-molecular bioengineering.

Our undergraduate program, which began in 1974, is among the most established in the world and offers specialized options to nearly 300 students that emphasize biochemical engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Year after year, the students in our freshman class are in the highest achieving group at USC, with average SAT scores that are consistently higher than the average SAT scores of all USC freshmen. We are also home to nearly 300 graduate students pursuing degrees in one of our M.S. or Ph.D. programs. Our graduates continue to make a difference in advancing biomedical engineering through post-baccalaureate training in medical, dental or graduate school; their research during post-doctoral studies or academic positions; or industry jobs. Our department is strategically situated near the thousands of biomedical companies located in Southern California, a regional hotbed for the biomedical industry.

In 2016, we were pleased to welcome three new faculty members, including Eun Ji Chung, who arrives with a prestigious K99/R00 NIH Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health; Qifa Zhou who serves as joint faculty with USC Ophthalmology; and NAS member Steve Kay with joint appointments in USC Neurology and USC Biological Sciences. Our talented faculty continues to prosper at the national level, elected as fellows to prestigious institutes and winning major industry awards. In addition to the several honors linked below, I would also like to recognize:

• Terry Sanger, David L. Lee and Simon Ramo Chair in Health Science and Technology
• Ted Berger, Australian Society for Medical Research Medallist; Society of Brain Mapping and Therapeutics Pioneer in Medicine Award
• Kirk Shung, 2016 IEEE Biomedical Engineering Award
• Michael Khoo, Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering

Ellis Meng

Professor and Dwight C. and Hildagarde E. Baum Chair