November 1, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amy Hewes
College of Engineering
(805)756-6402
ahewes@calpoly.edu

Cal Poly Now Offering New Biomedical Engineering Degree

SAN LUIS OBISPO – The California State University’s first Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering will be awarded at Cal Poly.

Recently approved by CSU Chancellor Charles Reed, the degree is part of Cal Poly’s new Biomedical and General Engineering Department. Dan Walsh is department chair, materials engineering Professor Lanny Griffin and industrial engineering Assistant Professor Robert Crockett are the first faculty members.

Biomedical Engineering at Cal Poly is fostered by a close partnership with St. Jude Medical, which has provided $500,000 to support curriculum, and provide laboratory facilities, faculty and student research opportunities and co-ops.

The Biomedical Engineering degree was developed in response to rapid industry growth in the production of rapid-splint systems, heart valve stints and other medical devices, said Walsh. Some specialty areas include bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials, systems physiology, clinical engineering and rehabilitation engineering.

“Students choose the biomedical engineering field to serve people and for the excitement of working with living systems,” said Walsh. “They are able to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. The time is right to formalize a biomed engineering program into a degree because of the wealth of industry demand and strong student and faculty interest.”

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