Dear faculty, post-docs, academic staff, and graduate students in BME, Please consider attending the two special events next week focused on educational research in BME. Here is more information about the special seminar and workshop that is happening next week, March 3 & 4 in BME. Dr. Jenny Amos, of University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, will be an excellent first speaker for our new Scholarship of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development (SOTLPD) research area in BME. She is excited to come to Purdue and speak with our faculty, staff, and graduate students about her trajectory as a SOTLPD scholar and about her recently published research on engineering education in BME. Please see the attached flyers for both the workshop, March 3, 3:30-5 pm in MJIS 2001, and special seminar, March 4, 3:30-4:30 pm, in MJIS 1001, and consider attending both sessions. More detailed information is below. Please also distribute these flyers to any faculty, post-docs, staff, or graduate students, that you think might be interested and invite them to attend. I look forward to joining you all in welcoming Dr. Amos to campus and engaging with her pioneering educational research in BME. Sincerely, Andrew Brightman [cid:image003.jpg@01DCA804.B297CA60]Bio: Jenny Amos is a Teaching Professor in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is an AIMBE Fellow, BMES Fellow, ABET Commissioner and Executive Committee Member, two-time Fulbright Specialist in engineering education and has won multiple awards and recognitions for her teaching and scholarship of teaching. Amos is part of numerous NSF-funded research projects and leads efforts to innovate bioengineering training, medical training, and translation of innovative designs into practice. Workshop, March 3, 3:30-5 PM, MJIS 2001 "From Classroom to Contribution: Navigating the Path to BME Educational Scholarship" Abstract: As Biomedical Engineering (BME) curricula evolve, faculty are increasingly moving beyond classroom instruction to investigate student experiences and professional competency development. This seminar provides a roadmap for transforming these classroom innovations into rigorous educational scholarship. We will define the boundaries between the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Engineering Education Research (EER), then guide participants through the mechanics of a publication-worthy study. Attendees will learn to craft precise research questions, select robust theoretical frameworks, and align their methodology with dissemination goals. Participants will leave with a conceptual framework ready to elevate their educational projects into peer-reviewed contributions. Special Research Seminar, March 4, 3:30-4:20 PM, MJIS 1001 "Evidence-Based Excellence: Why Educational Research is Vital for the Future of BME" Abstract: Biomedical Engineering (BME) is defined by rapid innovation and interdisciplinary complexity; as the field evolves, so must our approach to preparing the next generation of engineers. This seminar begins by exploring the current BME education landscape and highlights how research-informed strategies are critical for engaging and retaining a diverse student population. To illustrate these principles in practice, this session presents findings from a mixed-methods study of a sophomore bioengineering problem-solving course. By analyzing quantitative metrics, including growth mindset, sense of belonging, and learning styles, alongside qualitative thematic analysis, we identify how course design and disposition directly shift student attitudes. We will specifically examine the transformation of students' goal-setting and study behaviors over a single semester. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how intentional course architecture can foster professional persistence and reshape how students approach learning in the BME pipeline.
