Department hosts inaugural reunion event

Former BME students gather at the alumni reunion.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering held their inaugural reunion event on July 11 and 12, 2015. The event commemorated graduates from both the undergraduate and graduate bioengineering programs since the department's inception in 1974. The reunion also marked the ten year anniversary of the first graduating undergraduate class of 2005.

Events were held at Tussey Mountain Recreation Center in Boalsburg, PA, and on campus at University Park. Alumni and their families had the opportunity to visit with peers and faculty, and learn more about the current state of the department, as well as the many growth plans projected for the future.

In addition to the picnic, alumni were invited to judge a graduate student poster competition and tour the 275,600 square-foot Millennium Science Complex—home to many of the department's life sciences research facilities. 

Guests were addressed by the current department head, Cheng Dong, and former department head, Herbert Lipowsky. The pair reflected on the growth and development the department has seen over the years, and invited a number faculty to share their stories and memories.

The culmination of the reunion took place on Sunday July 12, with the dedication of the Bioinstrumentation and Senior Design Lab in memory of Dr. Nadine Barrie Smith, a former faculty member and advocate for education. Ceremony remarks were given by Cheng Dong as well as retired faculty member Roger Gaumond, and Anthony Atchley, senior associate dean of engineering.

The department looks forward to continuing the reunion event in the future, and in the interim, building and sustaining relationships with their many successful alumni.

View more images on Flickr: https://flic.kr/s/aHsknNdGxC