26th Annual Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference, April 30 - May 2, 2010

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1004421HeroldThis project will support the 26th Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference (SBEC), to be held April 30 - May 2, 2010, at The University Maryland Fischell Department of Bioengineering. Funds from the NSF will be used to provide partial support for student registration and awards; and partial cost of conference publications.The SBEC conference series has a distinguished history of stimulating engineering and scientific content. The conference attracts a mix of students and established researchers leading to a wide range of interactions that often energize both sides. The rapidly evolving nature of Biomedical Engineering is the backdrop for this conference that attracts students, researchers, and clinicians, from academia, industry and medical practice. The broad range of participant backgrounds contributes to a casual atmosphere with often more interaction than is seen in larger meetings that can be impersonal.The SBEC serves a special purpose by emphasizing student participation. Unlike national meetings, the participation of students (undergraduate, graduate, and professional) is strongly encouraged. Work presented by student authors, while their mentors observe, helps them develop public speaking skills and establish self-confidence in their presentations. Established investigators present papers in the same sessions with the students, thus encouraging a high level of professionalism as a standard for the students, and allowing students to hear well-known authorities in the field as well. In keeping with the emphasis on student participation, the SBEC presents best paper awards to undergraduate, graduate and professional students based on both their proceedings papers and presentations at the conference.The SBEC conference is expected to attract over 100 students. This is a substantial educational impact as these students will be treated to conference program with four parallel sessions consisting of approximately 100 (expected) technical papers. The SBEC conference committee is dedicated to attracting members from under represented communities in science and engineering, including women and minority populations. The conference organizers will address this by targeted advertising of the conference to organizations and institutions that service these populations. This targeted advertising will include mailings and personal follow-up to ensure that the mailings get distributed appropriately.