Record enrollment, high-level faculty hires, and increased national recognition are among the milestones being celebrated at the one-year mark of the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) becoming an independent academic department within the Tickle College of Engineering.
The 2025-26 academic year was the first for BME on its own. For the previous 15 years, biomedical engineering was grouped with mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Entering the second year as a standalone department, BME has experienced record growth, with an all-time high freshman class of 165 students enrolled for the fall of 2026. The department recently hired three new faculty members involved in high-level research and is on track to nearly double the number of faculty in the next three years.
“We have actually exceeded the goals we set for the first year,” said BME Department Head Dacheng Ren. “It’s been a very busy year, but an extremely rewarding year. The first year went more smoothly than I anticipated, thanks to the dedication of our faculty, staff, and students, as well as the strong support of college leadership and our partner academic units.”
TCE administrators saw the need for an independent BME department due to heightened student interest in studying biomedical engineering and increased workforce demand from industry. The split from mechanical and aerospace has enabled the department to flourish.
“Becoming an independent department has given us a stronger identity and greater agility to move forward,” Ren said. “It gives us the trust and freedom to define where we want to go. With that, we can pursue a vision-driven strategic plan to grow the department into a prominent BME program.”
Enhanced student experience
The growth of the department has led to expanded research and educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
“We have started tailoring the curriculum so that our students can get deeper and earlier exposure to BME-specific content that prepares them for their careers,” Ren said. “As we increase our faculty, we’ll expand our research activity and grant portfolio. This growth will bring more graduate students, create additional student training opportunities, and strengthen our facilities.”
Ren believes the inaugural year of independence for BME set a solid groundwork within the department that emphasizes a culture of support, shared success, and collaboration. As the second year begins, Ren’s vision for the department remains clear.
“There are several priorities, but the most important is to continue hiring talented faculty and give our students the best experience possible,” he said. “We want to provide them with more cutting-edge technology and learning opportunities that deepen their knowledge and better prepare them for the future. Student success is central to everything we do”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])