Biomedical Engineering

BSE

You’ll have many hands-on opportunities to develop your skills and determine what type of career experience you would like after graduation, with opportunities to earn a significant paycheck in nearby internships and co-ops over summer breaks and even during the academic year.

Here are some of the businesses where our biomedical engineering students have had internships, co-ops or launched their careers:

• Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
• GE Healthcare
• Medtronic
• Stryker
• Welch Allyn

In BME 595 Capstone Design, teams have the opportunity to use advanced technology to study and develop medical device products to assist people with disabilities. Students also have the opportunity to pursue independent studies and research projects with faculty to enhance understanding of advanced concepts. 

View senior design projects here.

Biomedical Engineering Society at UWM

BMES is a group of mostly Biomedical Engineering students looking to provide opportunities to other BME students. The group makes connections between students and faculty and facilitates volunteer opportunities, like 3D printing prosthetic hands for kids in need through eNable, a non-profit. They host monthly speakers from different realms of Biomedical Engineering, including research, industry, and continuing education.

For full descriptions and contact information for all Biomedical Engineering and other engineering-related student organizations and clubs, click here.

Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory

The Biomedical Instrumentation Lab provides hands-on signals and processing experience using sensors to record and analyze brain waves, which control today’s state-of-the art prosthetic limbs, robotic arms, and humanoid robots. The lab also contains Virtual Reality (VR) headsets that are coupled with state-of-the-art EEG equipment to study cognitive processes and translate brain waves into movements in a VR environment.

Biomechanics and Human Motion Analysis Lab

The Biomechanics and Human Motion Analysis Lab is where our students get hands-on experience learning about the musculoskeletal system, including biomechanics of tissues, structures, and joints. Motion capture technology tracks detailed human motion and can model gait, wheelchair use, sports, and upper body movements. In addition to the motion capture system, the laboratory includes a force platform, wireless electromyography system and a full-featured mechanical testing machine.

Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory

The Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Lab uses a unique combination of biomaterials fabrication, characterization, and cell-culture techniques to assess the role of biomaterials in various clinical and biological applications. The lab includes a fully functional biosafety cabinet class II, water-jacketed incubator for cell culture, six optical microscopes, one fluorescence microscope and materials for bio-fabrication.  

UWM students have a wealth of additional resources available to them within the College of Engineering & Applied Science. From computer labs and tutoring resources to teaching labs and spaces to create or collaborate. Details here.

As a student you’ll have the opportunity to work with faculty engaged in research including:

• Biomechanics
• Biorobotics
• Bone Healing
• Intelligent Assistive Devices
• Medical Imaging
• Medical Instrumentation
• Rehabilitation Engineering

A benefit of attending a top tier R1 research university is the opportunity to work with faculty engaged in cutting-edge research and to participate in the Support for Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) program. The SURF program helps you to improve your professional preparation through research by closely working with our faculty to explore, discover, and transform ideas into reality.

SURF students also receive funding for their efforts: from 2012-2023 almost $1.5M was awarded to over 700 students from our college.

Graduate and undergraduate students also have the opportunity to participate in the annual Research Poster Competition & Experiential Learning Expo, providing them with excellent opportunities to share their work with judges from industry.

Directed by the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, the UWM Student Startup Challenge is an optional, co-curricular program that fosters our students’ innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. You can work alone or as part of a team as you gain the skills that come from entrepreneurial experience. More detail here.