Student Support for 2025 Summer Bioengineering Conference (SBC2025); Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico; 22-25 June 2025

This grant provides funding for complimentary registration for 66 undergraduate and graduate students studying in the US to attend the American Society of American Engineers (ASME) Summer Bioengineering Conference (SBC2025), which will be held 22-25 June 2025 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. The objective is to broaden the participation from student trainees, and first-time attendees that aspire to learn more about the field of bioengineering, biomechanics, and biotransport.

Student trainees selected as finalists in the BS-, MS-, or PhD-level student paper competition will receive complimentary registration. Furthermore, broadening participation support will be provided to additional students. The aim is to grow the pipeline of US researchers interested in topics that have applications in several fields Med- and BioTech, which will improve health and quality of life.

The conference structure directly supports science and engineering workforce development by providing early-career researchers with opportunities to present their work, receive expert feedback, develop communication skills, and establish professional connections essential for career advancement.

The Summer Bioengineering Conference (SBC) is held annually in different cities around the United States since 1993. Bioengineering is a highly interdisciplinary topic drawing upon researchers from mechanical engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, and the sciences. The SBC is known for its rigorous scientific content and strong student and trainee professional development.

The large number of student participants makes SBC unique among all bioengineering conferences, providing one of the highest student-to-faculty ratios for a mid-sized meeting (defined as <1,000 participants). This conference brings together researchers from across the nation and internationally to share their research findings, foster and develop new collaborative ideas, and advance the professional development of a new generation of scientists and researchers to address problems that impact human health. The conference will include 50 technical tracks and workshops covering six key technical areas including cell and tissue engineering, education, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, design dynamics and rehabilitation, and biotransport where the most recent and novel research will be presented.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.