Institute elects UA's Verma to College of Fellows
Feb. 25, 2009Contact Information:
Lalit Verma, Interim Dean, Bumpers College
479-575-2034
William Flanagan, Program Coordinator, AIMBE
wflanagan@aimbe.org, 202-496-9660
Howell Medders, Communications, Division of Agriculture
479-575-5647, hmedders@uark.edu.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has elected Lalit R. Verma, interim dean of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, to the institute's College of Fellows.
Verma, serving as interim dean of Bumpers College since July 2008, is head of the UA department of biological and agricultural engineering. His election by some 900 current AIMBE fellows was for "contributions to the academic discipline of biological engineering by advocating for curricular reform and accreditation recognition of biological engineering," according to a news release.
Verma presided over a reorganization of the UA department and curriculum changes to create the biological engineering major. Enrollment in the major has increased from the 20's when he became department head in 2000 to about 100 in the fall of 2008.
The major, jointly offered by Bumpers College and the College of Engineering, includes concentrations in biomedical, biotechnology and ecological engineering.
"Biological engineers create solutions to problems by coupling living systems with the tools of engineering and biotechnology," Verma said. The discipline works with human, plant, animal, environmental, food, and microbial living systems, he added.
Verma also led the creation of the new College of Engineering interdisciplinary Master of Science program in biomedical engineering, which is the only one of its kind in Arkansas, in fall 2004.
In addition to providing curriculum for bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, the department conducts statewide research and extension programs as a unit of the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture.
Verma was one of 96 new fellows inducted Feb. 12 at the institute's annual meeting in the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C.
Jennifer Ayers, AIMBE's executive director, said the inductees "represent some of the most imaginative and distinguished medical and biological engineers in the field. Their contributions have had a major impact in biomedical devices and processes, treatment of diseases and public policy related to all aspects of medical and biological engineering."