A Collective Call to Action: The Importance of Advocacy and Avenues for Engagement in Biomedical Engineering

Friday, October 10, 2025

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM PDT

Location: Room 28A

Organizer/Submitter(s)

Dawn Beraud, Ph.D.

Executive Director
AIMBE
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Session Chair(s)

Dawn Beraud, Ph.D.

Executive Director
AIMBE
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Speakers(s)

Dawn Beraud, Ph.D.

Executive Director
AIMBE
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Session Chair(s)

Jason Marvin, Ph.D.

AIMBE, United States

Speakers(s)

Raj R. Rao, Ph.D.

Professor
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
Tyrone M. Porter, Ph.D.

University of Texas at Austin, United States
Tejal Desai, Ph.D.

Dean of Engineering
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Session Title for Website and App: Collective Advocacy and Engagement Opportunities for Biomedical Engineers

Special Session Program

Description: The executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government are key players in developing policies that govern and fund the scientific enterprise. These activities, often conducted without considering the voices of scientists, crucially shape research and funding decisions across several federal agencies (e.g., NIH and NSF) and at institutions across the country. Recent policies imposed by the new administration—including disruptions to grant review processes, proposed cuts to the NIH indirect cost rate, and mass firings of leading experts across health and science agencies—critically threaten our nation’s leadership in scientific innovation, the livelihood of our biomedical workforce, and patient care. Now more than ever as we navigate this uncertain political climate, it is imperative that scientists bridge this gap between policy and research by collecting speaking out, engaging in advocacy efforts, and effectively communicating with diverse stakeholders (e.g., the general public and elected lawmakers). There are several impactful ways for biomedical engineers to contribute to these conversations to benefit the field and society. In this special session, attendees will learn about current challenges and opportunities with our evolving science policy landscape. AIMBE staff and Fellows will share best practices for different ways in which they have engaged in advocacy, including their professional experiences with getting involved, personal anecdotes, and the impact that these activities have had on the field of biomedical engineering.