Office Hours

In this episode of Office Hours with Liz Wayne , Liz chats with Dr. Conrad Zapanta ("Dr. Z"), Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, College of Engineering and Teaching Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, to explore the evolving role of higher education. They discuss what universities offer beyond the classroom, how engineering programs are adapting to A...

What does “women’s health” really mean and who gets to define it? In this episode of Office Hours with Liz Wayne, Liz chats with Dr. Erika Moore, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland , College Park, and Dr. Shreya Raghavan, Associate Professor at Texas A&M University , to unpack how biomedical engineers are reshaping the future of women’s health research. From uterine mechanics an...

In this episode of Office Hours with Liz Wayne , she chats with Dr. Jenny Amos, Teaching Professor in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , about what it really means to build a career centered on teaching in academia. From her transition away from a traditional research path to her passion for student engagement, Dr. Amos breaks down the role of teaching faculty and how...

What does life really look like after earning a biomedical engineering degree? In this episode of Office Hours with Liz Wayne , she chats with Dr. Jose Rios Lizarraga, Director of Formulation Sciences at Nuvalent, to unpack the realities of building a career in the biopharmaceutical industry, from graduate school uncertainty to landing that first job and beyond. Dr. Lizarraga shares how a single u...

In this episode of Office Hours with Liz Wayne , Liz sits down with longtime BMES member and leader Michael King, E.D. Butcher Professor of Bioengineering at Rice University , to explore the evolving role of professional societies in biomedical engineering. From his first BMES Annual Meeting in 2000 to serving in major leadership roles, King reflects on how conferences, mentorship, networking, and...

In this episode of Office Hours, Liz Wayne talks with Shelly Sakiyama‑Elbert, Vice Dean, Research and Graduate Education, Professor of Bioengineering at University of Washington , and President of the Biomedical Engineering Society.  From nerve regeneration and stem cell biology to academic leadership and professional service, Sakiyama-Elbert shares how she balances research, mentorship, and admin...

Dr. Liz Wayne, host of the Office Hours podcast, is joined by Dr. Michelle Oyen, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Wayne State University , for an in-depth discussion on pregnancy through an engineering lens. Oyen shares how biomechanics, materials science, and data analysis are transforming our understanding of pregnancy, from placental development to preterm birth—the leading caus...

Dr. Liz Wayne, host of the Office Hours podcast, is joined by Dr. Ayokunle Olanrewaju, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington , for a conversation on how microfluidics is transforming the landscape of accessible diagnostics. Dr. Olanrewaju explains the potential of microfluidic technologies in creating user-friendly diagnostic tests and dis...

Dr. Liz Wayne, host of the Office Hours Host podcast , is joined by Dr. Collin Bowersock, Principal Scientist at Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute at Oklahoma State University , to discuss the mechanics of human movement and the future of rehabilitation engineering. Bowersock dives into his research on motor control, spinal cord injury recovery, and adaptive devices designed to su...

Dr. Liz Wayne, Office Hours Host, is joined by Dr. Jessica Winter, Distinguished Professor of Engineering at The Ohio State University, as they explore how technology becomes life-changing diagnostics. Winter shares how quantum dot “tighter and brighter” labels are making leukemia and lymphoma testing faster and more sensitive, why earlier detection saves lives, and how her own breast cancer diagn...

Dr. Liz Wayne, Office Hours Host, is joined by Dr. Mete Civelek, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he breaks down how our genes shape health. From DNA stability and protein coding to genetic variants linked to cardiometabolic disease, they explore the science driving precision medicine. The conversation dives into the power of genetic testing, the...

Dr. Liz Wayne taps in on her wide network of friends and contacts to discuss some of the most important, and often controversial, topics surrounding biomedical engineering, and related areas shaping healthcare. Wayne, an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington and host of our monthly webinar, unpacks today’s most pressing scientific topics and explores how biomedical engineers are buil...

Welcome to the Office Hours podcast, brought to you by the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)! In this special preview episode, host Dr. Liz Wayne  gives listeners a glimpse into what’s to come—from candid conversations with BME leaders to unexpected insights about life in and out of the lab. Hear about the vision behind the show, what kinds of guests and topics you can expect, and why now is t...