Biomedical engineering in the 1970s: Institutional expansion

A survey and synthesis of biomedical literature from the 1970s chronicles incredible institutional expansion across the country (110 schools in 41 states) and reveal two general themes: (1) reflection and concern over sustained growth; (2) and educational standards. Within the above historic setting presenters from 5 schools who began programs then were tendered four general questions: (i) How did you envision your research in the founding years: further definition of a new area or extending established paths; what training would be required? (ii) How did the ideas in (i) define this area of research in your institution and the discipline as a whole? (iii) What was the nature of the clinical aspects of the research? What were the early cooperative research/clinical efforts? (iv) What were the developing research interests crucial to institutionalization? How did you argue that biomedical engineering added a new and important component to existing curriculum?