BME FIU Strategic Plan

Transcription

1 Flrida Internatinal University FIU Digital Cmmns Bimedical Engineering Department Annual Reprts Bimedical Engineering BME FIU Strategic Plan Department f Bimedical Engineering, Flrida Internatinal University Fllw this and additinal wrks at: Part f the Bimedical Engineering and Biengineering Cmmns Recmmended Citatin Department f Bimedical Engineering, Flrida Internatinal University, "BME FIU Strategic Plan " (2012). Bimedical Engineering Department Annual Reprts This wrk is brught t yu fr free and pen access by the Bimedical Engineering at FIU Digital Cmmns. It has been accepted fr inclusin in Bimedical Engineering Department Annual Reprts by an authrized administratr f FIU Digital Cmmns. Fr mre infrmatin, please cntact dcc@fiu.edu.

2 Rising t New Challenges Five Year Strategic Plan (FY ) Department f Bimedical Engineering Cllege f Engineering and Cmputing Flrida Internatinal University March 13, 2012

3 Rising t New Challenges Ranu Jung, PhD rjung@fiu.edu Wallace H. Culter Eminent Schlar Prfessr and Chair Access t tp quality health care is still nt in reach fr many, the wrldwide ecnmic dwnturn has affected multiple facets f American life, and America s ability t maintain its leadership in innvatin and ingenuity is being questined. It is in difficult times like these that the academic backbne f the cuntry must rise t the challenge by preparing the next generatin f thught leaders and innvatrs t shape the technlgical and ecnmic landscapes f tmrrw. Educating Tmrrw s Bimedical Engineer The interdisciplinary nature f bimedical engineering (BME) affrds the discipline a tremendus pprtunity t bring frth advances in technlgical develpment and new discveries in life sciences t fster imprved quality f life fr all individuals. The US Bureau f Labr & Statistics prjects a 72% grwth in Bimedical Engineers frm 2008 t 2018 with tremendus impact f Bimedical Engineering in all the sectrs they track: manufacturing, whlesale trade, prfessinal, scientific and technical services, management, educatin services, health care and scial services, and gvernment. It is thus nt surprising that the last decade has seen a surge in the training and educatin f a cadre f bimedical engineers and a grwing mmentum in the rle f bimedical engineering in leading edge research and develpment f science and technlgy and medical innvatin. The brad extent f the ptential impact f BME n sciety raises several challenges fr academia. The next generatin f BME graduates has t be better educated and better prepared than any f their predecessrs. They have t be skilled at synthesizing infrmatin frm acrss the STEM (science, technlgy, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, capable f uncnventinal inquiry and adept at prviding innvative slutins t the current challenges f health care delivery. Furthermre, they must meet these challenges in a rapidly changing envirnment gverned by multiple ethical cnsideratins, fiscal respnsibilities, plicy regulatin, and glbal cmpetitin. The next generatins f bimedical engineers are faced with the challenge f pushing the envelpe n what is pssible in medical care and the challenge f bradening the impact by making diagnstics and therapeutics that are practical fr use in a wide variety f sciecnmic envirnments and healthcare systems and ethnic diaspra. Innvatin in BME educatinal prgrams shuld be directed at preparing ur students t meet these challenges. Signatures f Excellence As the breadth f BME s impact n sciety expands and as the need fr specialized training increases, BME academic prgrams are likely t be mre effective if they remain fcused n selected sub-disciplines within the field. As the multiple BME prgrams acrss the natin and internatinally mature, the strng prgrams will likely be identified with 2-4 specific self-selected signature areas f excellence. These areas f excellence will have their fundatins in utstanding research prgrams and will permeate the undergraduate and graduate educatinal prgrams. The areas shuld be brad enugh t allw innvatin, grwth and adaptability ver time, but shuld be narrw enugh t prvide depth f training and identity fr the students. BME educatin will be transdisciplinary and intimately tied with educatinal prgrams in medical, life and physical sciences and cmputing as well as ethics and regulatry plicy. BME educatin is als likely t play an expanding rle in the training f future physicians. An undergraduate degree in BME has always been an attractive ptin fr students interested in ging n t medical schl. The quantitative rigr f the BME curriculum speaks highly f the students academic capacity as well as their ability t deal with the instrumentatin and cmplex data sets that are increasingly imprtant in the mdern clinical envirnment. These advantages f BME training fr physicians will becme mre prminent in a future with prescriptin f bihybrid systems that merge the engineered and the living system t maintain health r treat disease. These systems may invlve engineered tissue, implanted devices, r adaptive engineered sensrs, BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 2 f 10

4 rbtic and imaging systems that interact with the living system. Thus, BME educatinal prgrams will becme an increasingly imprtant base fr educating the future physician; prgrams that acknwledge this need will nt nly serve these clients better, but may als be at the leading edge f innvatin in medical educatin. Leveraging Lcatin: A Grwing Wheel f Impact As a BME prgram grws and seeks t define its cre areas f expertise within the field, an effective strategy wuld be t leverage the lcatin. That is, a BME prgram shuld acknwledge that in this interdisciplinary field, a key t its success will be the extent t which it can utilize the expertise, resurces and pprtunities available within the University and its surrunding areas. Thrugh such interactin, the institutin and the cmmunity can be mlded and integrated thrugh the prcesses f innvatin. Fr sustainable and meaningful grwth, the industrial and clinical rganizatins within the regin shuld be engaged t help create a vibrant educatinal & research enterprise that will prepare the next-generatin f BME graduates fr the cmplexities f tmrrw s wrk envirnment. Classrm pedaggy, labratry research and delivery f utcmes t the public thus becme fused in a synergistic manner. This framewrk fr leveraging the lcatin extends t cncentric circles f regin, state, natin and glbal cnnectins. At all times, the areas f excellence act as spkes in this grwing wheel f impact. BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 3 f 10

5 Strategic Plan (FY ) Executive Summary Intrductin This dcument presents the Five-Year Strategic Plan (FY ) fr the Department f Bimedical Engineering (BME) at Flrida Internatinal University (FIU). The plan presents the gals and strategic visin guiding the grwth f the Bimedical Engineering department as a member f the Cllege f Engineering and Cmputing and the Academic Health Center at FIU. Established in 2003 with a $10 M endwment frm the Wallace H. Culter Fundatin matched by supprt frm the State f Flrida, the Bimedical Engineering Department is leading the State in bimedical engineering educatin. The department is embedded in a University that seeks t grw crss-disciplinary prgrams, is cmmitted t access fr students, and embraces the lcal and glbal cmmunities. Amngst the department s mst ntable accmplishments since its inceptin are the develpment f prductive research prgrams in key areas f bimedical engineering and establishment f graduate degree prgrams and an accredited undergraduate prgram, the nly such prgram amngst all the public Universities in Flrida. It is als the nly Bimedical Engineering department in the natin ffering an accredited BS degrees in Bimedical Engineering at a public Minrity and Hispanic Serving Institutin. One f the strengths f the grwing BME department is its enhanced alignment with the Herbert Wertheim Cllege f Medicine, the Cllege f Nursing and Health Sciences and the Cllege f Arts and Sciences. The visin and diligence f the funding members, investment by the University, and the develpment f strategic relatinships with clinical and industrial partners have fueled the advancement f the department. With the recruitment and appintment f a new Chair in January 2011, the department has embarked n a new phase f grwth and develpment. Visin The Bimedical Engineering Department will be natinally recgnized fr research excellence and innvatin in clinical medicine and bimedical industry applicatins and lead educatin, research, and technlgy develpment in Flrida. Gals The gals f the Department f Bimedical Engineering are guided by the Wrlds Ahead Strategic Plan fr FIU, the Cllege f Engineering and Cmputing (CEC) Strategic Plan fr and the philsphy espused in Chair Jung s paper Rising t New Challenges. Of special imprtance fr Bimedical Engineering is the Wrlds Ahead plan related t Health that includes establishment f an Academic Health Center, interdisciplinary educatin and research and new degree prgrams as well as the CEC plan related t Health Related Technlgies, increased retentin and graduatin rates fr undergraduates and graduates, and new dctral degree prgrams. The 2017 Visin Bimedical Engineering Strategic Plan addresses the gals fr the Department and will help BME maximize its impact n sciety by identifying key areas f Research Excellence within the brad field f bimedical engineering and enhancing research prductivity, develping Educatinal Excellence thrugh a new mdel fr BME educatin and by Cmmunity Engagement by leveraging its lcatin thrugh cmmunity and glbal activities. BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 4 f 10

6 Gals ( ) 2017 Visin Gal: Enhance Research Excellence and Prductivity 2017 Visin Strategic Plan: Establish three signature areas f research excellence: 1-Engineered Tissue Mdel Systems 2-Diagnstic Imaging and Sensr Systems 3-Therapeutic and Reparative Neurtechnlgy Becme a leader fr interdisciplinary science and technlgy discvery and develpment Enhance research and discvery cmpetitiveness via large cllabrative grants Establish structured undergraduate research pipeline Establish prcedures t prmte innvatin and entrepreneurship in medical device develpment fr translatinal research Establish translatinal research partnerships with clinical departments f Neurlgy, Neursurgery, Ophthalmlgy and Radilgy in the Cllege f Medicine Establish translatinal research partnerships with clinical departments f Physical Therapy and Occupatinal Therapy in Cllege f Nursing and Health Sciences Establish basic science partnerships with Medical Physics and Cgnitive Neurscience in Cllege f Arts and Sciences Expand cllabrative academic, industrial and clinical partnerships 2017 Visin Gal: Enhance Educatin Excellence and Prductivity 2017 Visin Strategic Plan: Increase freshmen persistence t exceed FIU targets Enhance fur-year undergraduate graduatin rate t exceed FIU targets Establish a summer REU prgram Increase Graduate admissins frm high-caliber students frm Universities in the US and it s Territries. Attain natinal standing fr the prgram Becme the leading prgram in the natin in Bachelr s, Master s and Dctral Bimedical Engineering degrees granted t Hispanic students Establish pathway fr btaining a Master s degree in Bimedical Engineering fr medical students Establish jint dctral prgrams with Medicine and/r Health Sciences and/r Cgnitive Neurscience Enhance labratry infrastructure by additin f labratry space and state-f-the-art equipment Intrduce new career pathways fr Bimedical Engineering undergraduates (e.g. BS-JD) Strengthen career ptin mentrship fr graduate and pstdctral schlars 2017 Visin Gal: Establish Cmmunity and Lcal Industry Engagement 2017 Visin Strategic Plan: Engage with alumni thrugh yearly Hmecming events Enhance linkages t lcal high schls thrugh student prgrams Attain industrial partnerships fr Senir capstne design fr 90% f student grups Establish cmmunity public seminar dialgue 2017 Visin Gal: Establish Sustainable Grwth Mdel 2017 Visin Strategic Plan: Enhance the current endwment t prmte translatinal research BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 5 f 10

7 Increase Endwed Prfessrships Establish an Industrial Supprt Prgram fr educatinal initiatives and student supprt Establish alumni directed Giving Prgram MISSION The missin f the Bimedical Engineering Department is t bridge engineering, science and medicine T educate and train the next diverse generatin f bimedical engineers T cnduct research leading t significant discveries in medical sciences T cnduct design and develpment f innvative medical technlgy T translate scientific discvery and medical technlgy t industry r clinical practice fr delivery f health care T engage with the lcal t glbal cmmunity fr knwledge disseminatin BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 6 f 10

8 Strategic Issues The Visin Gals lead t sme key strategic issues that need t be addressed by the Strategic Plan. These and ptential appraches t address the issues are elabrated belw. Strategic Issue #1 Establish Signatures f Excellence in Research Strategic Issue #2 Enhance Research and Discvery cmpetitiveness Strategic Issue #3 Strengthen the Educatinal Prgrams Strategic Issue #4 Intrduce innvative career paths fr BME graduates Strategic Issue #5 Leverage Cnnectins with Lcal Industry and Medical Practices Strategic Issue #6 Grw Vibrant and Sustainable Areas f Excellence Strategic Issue #7 Get Media Expsure Strategic Issue #1 Establish Signatures f Excellence in Research A cllective effrt (invlving faculty, students, administratin and key stakehlders) is necessary t establish signatures f excellence. This prcess may be facilitated by adpting a framewrk that utilizes tw dimensins f expertise: technical expertise (i.e. cre engineering cmpetencies) and applicatin expertise (i.e. medical areas f applicatin). This framewrk can be used t guide the develpment f signature areas f research and can als be used t facilitate the develpment f interactins with research and clinical partners and t guide the evlutin f the undergraduate and graduate curricula. The intersectin f the technlgy platfrm and applicatin areas shuld be brad enugh t respnd t changing demands f scietal need but fcused in addressing a strategic missin fr develping lng-term excellence. Strategy 1: Identify unique infrastructure resurces (radiistpe labratry, nanfabricatin capabilities) Strategy 2: Identify faculty with cmplementary expertise (nclgical sciences, neurlgical sciences, phtalmlgical science, physical and ccupatinal therapy, nanchemistry, biphtnics, diagnstic imaging, neural engineering, tissue engineering, medical physics and bimechanics) t frm research clusters. Strategy 3: Recruit faculty in gap areas Strategy 4: Identify majr applicatin areas f clinical need In 2011, a strategic planning meeting amngst Bimedical Engineering Faculty was cnducted. Infrmal resurce maps were created t identify resurces available, existing areas f technical expertise and identificatin f strategic grwth in technlgy platfrms. A SWOT (strength, weaknesses, pprtunities, threats) exercise was perfrmed. Three Signature Areas fr Research Excellence were identified as: Basic Research in Engineered Tissue Mdel Systems Diagnstic Biimaging and Sensr Systems Therapeutic and Reparative Neurtechnlgy These are t be served by Advanced Technlgy Platfrms in: Biimaging and Bisignal prcessing Biinstrumentatin, devices and sensrs Bimaterials and bi-nan technlgy Cellular and tissue engineering In the next five years, the research and technlgy advancements will serve clinical applicatins targeted t: Onclgical Disrders Neurlgical Disrders Cardivascular Disrders BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 7 f 10

9 Recruitment f faculty will be guided by the bjective f strengthening research clusters that intersect a strategic area f research excellence, technlgical advancement platfrm and clinical applicatin area. Faculty primarily fcused in develpment f platfrm technlgy may find applicatin in multiple areas f research excellence and clinical applicatins identified in the strategic plan. Clinical partnerships will be established t enhance research and technlgies translatin fr medical impact. This will be accmplished by directly linking with the needs identified by the Chairs f the Cllege f Medicine with initial fcus n Department f Radilgy, Ophthalmlgy, Neurlgy and Neursurgery as well as the Cllege f Nursing and Health Sciences Departments f Physical therapy and Occupatinal Therapy as well as cmmunity clinical partners. Basic Science partnerships will be established with links t the departments, schls and Center in the Cllege f Arts and Sciences. In an iterative prcess, under the stewardship f the chair and input frm multiple cnstituencies, the BME faculty culd mdify and refine the categries in the framewrk described and culd develp a versin with higher reslutin. Tgether they wuld ascertain strengths, weaknesses, pprtunities and threats, and with university supprt lay ut a radmap t achieve specific milestnes fr achievement. Translatinal research and develpment culd be a hallmark f their effrt. Strategic Issue #2 Enhance Research and Discvery cmpetitiveness T cmplement University investment, a practive multifaceted apprach by the faculty will be needed fr securing external funding t supprt research and develpment. Funding strategies will strive fr a balanced prtfli, with each signature area supprted by bth single investigatr grants and large 3M grants (multimillin, multi-investigatr and multi-institutinal (a 3M apprach). Twards this end, the large team prpsals will seek partnerships such as thse with the Cllege f Medicine (Basic and Clinical Sciences), Cllege f Nursing and Health Sciences, Cllege f Arts and Sciences (Chemistry, Medical Physics, Cgnitive Neurscience) and Schl f Cmputing and Infrmatin Sciences (Bi/Medical/Health Infrmatics), as well as Clinical and Industrial rganizatins within Miami and the brader regin. Fr sustainable grwth, the department will als seek federal r ther private fundatin/industry supprt fr establishing Centers fr research, academic excellence and translatinal utcmes. The centers, driven by the cnfluence f research excellence, advanced technlgy and clinical applicatins will have a well-defined missin and include a chesive set f paradigm shifting research thrust areas. They wuld als put fcused effrts n public utreach t the lcal cnstituency f the University. Strategic Issue #3 Strengthen the Educatinal Prgrams The first step in strengthening the prgram is t inculcate wnership f the BME prgram in all students and faculty. With the recent breaking f the bundaries set up by the 2+2 apprach f educatin at the undergraduate level, cncerted effrt will be made t get BME faculty invlved in the first tw years f the curriculum in a manner that des nt substantially impact teaching cmmitments. An innvative apprach t be explred is utilizatin f a mdule-based curriculum t prvide freshmen and sphmres expsure t medical prblems, pprtunities t apply their engineering skills t bimedical prblems, and pprtunities t develp BME specific skills. Such a mdule-based apprach culd leverage the expertise f clleagues frm the schl f medicine, clinical practice and industry t participate in tw term (A and B per semester) mdules designed t prvide freshman and sphmres with an identity as BMEs and t nurture their enthusiasm fr the field. The mdule-based apprach can als be used t prvide targeted technical electives fr junirs and senirs that will enable them t explre a range f pprtunities in BME. In additin t intrducing engineering cursewrk within the first tw years f BS, the gal will be t establish a vertically integrated mentring prgram, where pstdctral fellws and dctral students mentr undergraduates. Training grants can be targeted t prvide mentrship stipends fr the dctral students in additin t their academic research/teaching assistantships. This will establish a strng pipeline f FIU undergraduates fr grwing excellence and leadership in BME. BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 8 f 10

10 The next step is t leverage the envirnment and identify pprtunities fr interactin within clse vicinity. The first place t lk is within the University. Outside f engineering, the fremst pprtunity lies in enhancing the link and intertwining cmpnents f the BME educatinal missin with that f the new Schl f Medicine. This intersectin culd ccur at bth the undergraduate and graduate levels and even fr medical residents. FIU ffers a unique pprtunity t intrduce clinically relevant team based appraches t learning fr undergraduate students in BME. The need fr such an apprach t BME educatin has been recgnized federally and cmpetitive federal funding (PAR frm NIH) is available t fster team-based senir design fr BME undergraduates. Such a prgram wuld include a clinical immersin and user need assessment perid. The FIU students wuld be uniquely psitined fr entry int medical schl, BME dctral prgrams and medical industry. On the ther hand, BME has an pprtunity t directly cntribute t the technlgy driven richness f the mdern medical practice by cntributing t the educatin f the future physician. Thus educatinal partnerships that wuld significantly amplify the visibility and value f bth the medical schl and the engineering schl educatin are a jint MD/PhD prgram r a BME- MS/ MD prgram. The latter culd als take shape in the frm f a BME certificate in a particular area f BME technlgy fr medical students. One r mre f these abve appraches will be explred and targeted fr implementatin. Recruitment, retentin and graduatin f students that will be tracked culd be analyzed t see if the abve actins t strengthen the educatinal prgrams impact these rates. Strategic Issue #4 Intrduce innvative career paths fr BME graduates A place fr Ethics and Law in BME Educatin Ethics and r regulatry plicy shuld becme a cre feature f a BME educatin bth at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Rather than having it sprinkled thrugh an individual lecture every nw and then, the curriculum culd include in-depth case studies, lectures by ethicists and plicy specialists and becme a cmpnent f the research plan fr the graduate students. Similarly, with the missin fr keeping the US cmpetitive edge in innvatin and entrepreneurship it is ging t be increasingly necessary that ur lawyers are versed in innvative technlgy. Hence, vertures culd be made t the Schl f Law t explre the preparatin f BME students fr btaining a JD, in particular with reference t patent law. During the next five year we will explre develping a cmpetitive 3+3 prgram in which the students receive a BS in BME and a JD in six years. FIU already ffers JD-MS prgrams with ther clleges. A JD-MS prgram with BME culd als be cnsidered. The imprtance f preparing future lawyers cnversant with bth patenting and regulatry issues f medical technlgy as well as legal issues f using imaging, sensrs and devices t prbe and interact with the human bdy and mind is likely t grw. BME@FIU culd have a selective prgram fr preparing such lawyers. Strategic Issue #4 Leverage Cnnectins with Lcal Industry and Medical Practices The FIU BME prgram will make a cncerted effrt t greatly strengthen the link with the industry and clinical partners. An industrial advisry bard will be set up. The interactins culd include establishment f a shrt lecture series that includes lecture mdules in entrepreneurship, regulatry and plicy issues in undergraduate and graduate curses by the industrial partners, lectures and wrkshps by the faculty at the industrial sites r at FIU fr these partners, strengthening f the internship pprtunities fr bth undergraduate and graduate students and establishment f academic-industrial research partnerships. These links culd be leveraged nt nly fr enhancing research and develpment but als t btain initial federal funding fr supprt f undergraduate senir design. Similarly, cmmunity clinical partnerships nt captured by FIU will be pursued as necessary t enhance translatin f medical technlgy t practice. BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 9 f 10

11 Strategic Issue #5 Grw Vibrant and Sustainable Areas f Excellence The BME research enterprise at FIU has tremendus pprtunity t leverage the envirnment. It has the unique status f being lcated in a vibrant area with a large Hispanic cnstituency. The city and vicinity are hme t a ppulatin that spans the life-span and Miami is a gateway lcatin fr the Caribbean and Latin American cuntries. BME research and applicatin areas shuld take advantage f these attributes in the develpment f the chesive plan. Once a chesive plan and applicatin areas are in place, a deliberate effrt will be made t target funding pprtunities t supprt the areas f excellence fr vibrant and sustainable grwth. This effrt can nly be accmplished if the areas f excellence are ppulated by sufficient numbers f dedicated faculty and research persnnel, wh have the apprpriate administrative and peratinal supprt t cnduct cutting-edge research that meets the milestnes. The Department s endwment fund frm Culter Fundatin prvides a secure, pwerful and versatile resurce. T maximize the impact f this endwment, it may be best t utilize it as a leverage t raise nnuniversity investment and nt t replace the University investment. A capital campaign is necessary t enhance directed giving t Bimedical Engineering t supprt the signature areas f excellence and educatinal missin by supprt f state-f-the-art building and equipment infrastructure as well as endwed prfessrships, pstdctral fellwships fr targeted translatinal research and student internships. Strategic Issue #6 Lcal and Glbal Engagement As the BME prgram strengthens its research and educatin base it will be necessary t make glbal cnnectins. The prgram will leverage its envirnment by seeking cnnectins with educatinal and industrial cllabratins frm Latin American and Caribbean cuntries- cuntries that the majrity student bdy identifies with and the University is prgrammatically reaching ut t. One ptin is t establish student and faculty exchange with these cuntries. The educatin and research exchange prgrams wuld add a unique value fr a BME educatin at FIU. Strategic Issue #7 Get Media Expsure A leading research enterprise requires high-caliber graduate students and pst-dctral fellws. T recruit the best candidates, the BME prgram must have a unique signature that is n the radar screens f the internatinal BME cmmunity and f the lcal cmmunity f Suth Flrida. T accmplish this BME will regularly hst and spnsr specific wrkshps and training sessins either n-site r as part f a natinal r internatinal cnference. The mst prminent apprach fr visibility wuld be t hst natinal/internatinal cnferences in the signature areas f research. We will als spnsr technlgy and cmmercializatin prmtin events. T establish a presence within the diverse cmmunity f suth Flrida, the department will seek ut innvative appraches t btain media expsure that prmtes the research accmplishments f faculty and students. One apprach will be t link with the faculty and students in the Schl f Jurnalism and Mass Cmmunicatin fr develpment f radi stries, pdcasts and ther mdes f public cmmunicatin. BME Strategic Plan (FY ) Page 10 f 10