Some of the members of the 2017-2018 ASBME Executive Board. Photo/Kristina Kaypaghian
USC’s Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering (ASMBE) has received the 2018 Student Chapter Outstanding Achievement Award from the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). The award is in recognition of their efforts to enhance the professional awareness and education of their members.
In addition to ASBME being invited to lead a best practice panel at the chapter development workshop during the BMES Annual Meeting in October, the award covers meeting attendance and travel costs for two students.
“I’ve been a part of ASBME for my entire college career actually, so, I kind of got to see the evolution throughout the years,” said Luann Raposo, ASBME president and senior biomedical engineering (BME) student. “We were a really strong club when I got here, and now, getting to uphold that as a senior means continue doing the things we’re doing right, improve on the small things that we can improve on, as well as continue to innovate.”
The winning team of the 2018 ASBME Makeathon: Margaret Field, Lacy Schneeman, Seth Krieger and Andrew Yock. Photo/Kristina Kaypaghian
Throughout the year, ASBME hosts numerous events promoting community engagement, professional development, education, outreach and social activities. These include dinners and information sessions with members of industry and academia; a research symposium with presentations from USC faculty and graduate students; an annual make-a-thon where students design and build a medical device in just one weekend; monthly trips to local elementary schools through their Project in a Box initiative; and social outings to explore Los Angeles.
“Pretty much every week, ASBME has one event or more,” Luann said. “Students can pick and choose as to what they want to attend or kind of tailor the club to their own experience, since we offer so many opportunities. I think that’s probably what makes us special, that we try to cater to every BME student. It’s not possible to do that – but we try by hosting a really wide range of events.”
This year, the group is introducing a new research chair position on their executive board who will be responsible for connecting students with faculty members to find research positions on campus, as well as educating students on how to use their new 3-D printer. These opportunities will help students gain technical skills and hands-on exposure in biomedical engineering.
Overall, one of the club’s main goals is to provide students with clarity on their chosen field of study. Through their events, initiatives and resources, they give students a window into their possible futures.
“It’s just a really good community,” said Luann. “I think ASBME is a really important community for students to get involved in early just so they get a tangible view of what being a BME actually looks like.”
Published on September 12th, 2018
Last updated on April 14th, 2021
