A Salute to Professional Engineers & Geoscientists
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/112309
1 0 | W I N N I P E G F R E E P R E S S A S a l u t e t o P r o f e ss i o n a l E n g i n e e r s & G e o s c i e n t i s t s ! U of M launches new biomedical engineering program By Jennifer McFee for the Free Press The academic worlds have converged at the University of Manitoba to create a new graduate program in biomedical engineering. Zahra Moussavi (Ph.D., P.Eng.) is director of the Biomedical Engineering Program at the University of Manitoba. Photo submitted by the University of Manitoba L aunched in September 2012, the interdisciplinary program merges the U of M���s engineering, medicine and science faculties, and works in collaboration with hospitals and research centres. Program director Zahra Moussavi is one of more than 30 faculty members on board with the new��program. ���In one sentence, biomedical engineering is the application of engineering tools and skills to medicine,��� Moussavi said. ���It���s a simple but also a thorough definition.��� Biomedical engineers can use their skills to design medical devices or create diagnostic tools, she explained. For example, if electrical engineers want to build a heart-rate monitor, they must also understand the physiology of how the heart generates its��signal. ���First I teach the heart. I teach how the signal is being generated and what are the characteristics of that signal. Then we talk about the instrumentation,��� Moussavi said. ���This is one area of biomedical engineering.��� The newly approved program currently has 16 students enrolled with more on the way. Since they���re from a variety of academic backgrounds, students take mandatory bridging courses to provide an overview in all areas. ���It took seven years to get this program approved. When I was proposing it, getting approval for courses was the hardest part because I had to show that we have enough instructors who would dedicate their time and teach the courses,��� Moussavi said. ���If students come from engineering, they need to have a background in physiology, biology, anatomy and biochemistry. If they come from medicine, they need to have some background in engineering. If they come from physics, they need background in medical components. If they come from biological science, then they need engineering components.��� In addition to developing courses, Moussavi has organized a bi-weekly seminar series that features one student presenter and one guest speaker each month. Students also work on research projects in labs belonging to researchers. As part of her own research, Moussavi is a ������������������ ��������������������������������������� ��� ������������������ ��� ��������������� ��������� ������������ ��������������������� ��������� ��������������������������� ������������������������ ������������������������������������ ��������������� ��� ��� ��� ��� ��� ��������� Solutions Made Locally Golder Associates is driven by our purpose to engineer earth���s development while preserving earth���s integrity. We deliver solutions that help our clients achieve their sustainable development goals by providing a wide range of independent consulting, design and construction services in our specialist areas of earth, environment and energy. Work with Golder to gain the advantage of local solutions backed by global knowledge. Winnipeg 204 489-9600 www.golder.com Winnipeg - Calgary - Toronto