°®¶¹´«Ã½ College of Engineering News
°®¶¹´«Ã½ College of Engineering News
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Dr. Olukemi Akintewe, °®¶¹´«Ã½ Engineering Professor, Recognized as an AIMBE Emerging Leader
Dr. Olukemi Akintewe, an Associate Professor of Instruction in Medical Engineering at the University of South °®¶¹´«Ã½ (°®¶¹´«Ã½) College of Engineering, has been selected as an inaugural Emerging Leader by the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Dr. Akintewe was formally recognized for her achievement at the AIMBE Annual Event held March, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Souheil Zekri, Medical Engineering Professor, Receives °®¶¹´«Ã½ 2023-24 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award
Souheil Zekri, an associate professor of instruction and director of senior capstone courses in the University of South °®¶¹´«Ã½'s Medical Engineering Department, has been honored with the 2023-2024 °®¶¹´«Ã½ Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Dr. Mark Bauer Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Mark Bauer discovered his passion for biomedical engineering in high school, writing about it in an English class biography assignment. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of South °®¶¹´«Ã½ in December 2022 excelling through high-level research. He had a reputation as a kind and remarkable individual who valued community and camaraderie; and organized luncheons and events to bring people together. After his unexpected passing, a special scholarship was created. This is the story of the 2025 recipient.

Senior Capstone Design Experience at °®¶¹´«Ã½ Medical Engineering
The °®¶¹´«Ã½ Biomedical Engineering Capstone is a year-long, sponsor-driven design experience where student teams transform authentic clinical and industry problems into functioning solutions using the Stanford Biodesign Process. Guided by faculty, mentors, medical professionals, and industry engineers, teams deliberately combine biomedical, mechanical, electrical, and computing skill sets to navigate the full engineering journey—from early stakeholder interviews and problem framing to measurable requirements and testable specifications.

Dr. Huabei Jiang - NIH R01 $1.9M Grant Renewal: Listening to the Unseen - Photoacoustic Imaging for Early Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are the leading preventable cause of birth defects and lifelong neurodevelopmental delays, affecting up to 40,000 infants each year in the US alone. Despite its significant prevalence, there is currently no effective way to predict FASD during pregnancy, and no approved treatments exist once damage has occurred.

Dr. Christopher L. Passaglia Renews his NIH R01 Grant: Advancing Glaucoma Research with Precision Eye‑Pressure Control
Christopher L. Passaglia, Ph.D., a Professor of Medical Engineering at the University of South °®¶¹´«Ã½ in Tampa, has led pioneering work at the intersection of ocular neuroscience and bioengineering. His Ocular Neuroscience & Neuroengineering Lab—focuses on understanding how networks of retinal neurons encode visual signals in normal and diseased states and translating that understanding into diagnostic and therapeutic ocular devices.

Dr. George Spirou Receives NIH R01 grant renewal for Early Brain Development Research
We are proud to share that Dr. George Spirou, Professor in the Department of Medical Engineering, has received a renewal of his 5-year NIH R01 grant—one of the most prestigious and competitive funding awards from the National Institutes of Health.

2025 Medical Engineering Inductees: Drs. Robert Frisina and Richard Heller Honored as ASEMFL Members for Research Excellence
The Department of Medical Engineering at the University of South °®¶¹´«Ã½ is proud to announce that two of its distinguished faculty members—Drs. Robert Frisina and Richard Heller—have been recognized by the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of °®¶¹´«Ã½ (ASEMFL) for their outstanding contributions to science and innovation.

Dr. Alex Otten Receives °®¶¹´«Ã½ Medical Engineering Faculty of the Year, 2025
Dr. Alex Otten began teaching as a faculty member at °®¶¹´«Ã½ in Fall of 2023. While he may have a new title, he is no stranger to teaching at °®¶¹´«Ã½. In fact, he has been a part of the °®¶¹´«Ã½ herd since 2006 when he started his bachelor’s in electrical engineering.

“Biomedical Systems Meet Microelectronics: Dr. Albert Kim Enhances °®¶¹´«Ã½â€™s $3M NSF-Funded STEP-UP Traineeshipâ€
Associate Professor Albert Kim of Medical Engineering engaged with the °®¶¹´«Ã½â€™s interdisciplinary research team (Drs. Kumar, Katkoori, Yilmaz, and Alcantar), and received a prestigious five-year, $3 million NSF Research Training (NRT) grant, known as STEP-UP: Science, Technology, Engineering, Program for Upward Partnership for Advancing Microelectronics Education and Training.

°®¶¹´«Ã½ Staff Member of the Year - Recognizing Cherine Chehab for Outstanding Service and Impact
Aligned with °®¶¹´«Ã½â€™s principles of community and inclusion, Ms. Cherine Chehab has played a critical role in the success of the Department of Medical Engineering, first as Academic Advisor and now as our sole Academic Services Administrator (ASA). With a master’s in BME, she is exceptionally qualified to help our faculty and assist guiding students through one of the College’s most complex curricula.

Skyler Cruz Graduate Academic Program Specialist
We’re excited to welcome Skyler Cruz, our new Graduate Academic Program Specialist!