Giving to the Department of Biomedical Engineering

The focus of the Department of Biomedical Engineering research and education programs is to improve health care delivery through discovery of new knowledge, development of novel medical devices and therapeutics and training students to advance healthcare in the 21^st century. As faculty and staff in the BME department strive to provide quality education, research and experiential learning opportunities for students, we often requires resources that are not available through tuition or research grants and contracts.  We need your philanthropic support to continue our growth, to expand the educational opportunities for students and improve the prominence of the BME Department.  For example, we need additional resources to recruit and support graduate students; particularly for new faculty hires or for new research directions where extramural grants and contract do not yet exist.  Support for our undergraduate program will provide for necessary updates and improvements to our lab facilities and senior design courses, student participation in undergraduate research, as well as professional development activities for students such as research conference participation or plant visits.  Select additional needs include resources to support faculty and staff professional development, facilities and equipment upgrades and outreach activities.  The continued success of the BME department depends on your partnership with us.

Departmental priorities needing your support:

Graduate Student Support: Graduate education and training is essential to our research mission.  A vibrant pool of highly capable graduate students is necessary to maintain academic excellence and a ensure success of faculty research.  The BME department is committed to recruiting more of the best graduate students to grow our research programs.  We need your support to enhance graduate recruiting and provide competitive funding to support our graduate students, particularly during their first year of training while completing the coursework and training necessary to complete their Master’s or Doctoral research.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is pleased to announce the creation of the Dr. Jack Lemons Endowed Scholarship in Biomedical Engineering honoring Jack Lemons and his contributions to graduate education at UAB.  Graduate student training and professional development have always been near and dear to Jack’s heart.  Over his more than 40-year academic career, almost all of it at UAB, Dr. Lemons has been committed to student training and graduate education.  Some highlights of his contributions include:

·        Serving on more that 300 graduate student dissertation, thesis and research
         committees as committee chair or committee member.

·        Publishing more than 200 journal articles, almost all with student co-authors.

·        Contributing more than 600 presentations and abstract at scientific meetings with
         student coauthors.

·        Students trained by Jack have gone on to become leaders in the medical device
         industry and biomedical companies, regulatory and standards agencies, clinical 
         practice, academia and business.

Graduate education and training are also essential to the mission of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UAB.  A vibrant pool of highly capable graduate students is necessary to maintain academic excellence and ensure the success of faculty research.  The BME Department is committed to recruiting and training the most talented graduate students to grow our research programs and to ensure the advancement of biomedical engineering at UAB.

The income from this endowment will support the training and professional development of biomedical engineering master’s and doctoral students.  Some examples of support may include supporting a student’s stipend to complete a master’s or doctoral thesis research project, funds to support research costs, travel funds for a BME graduate student to present original research at a scientific meeting or funds for a BME grad student to participate in or host a professional development workshop, a symposium or some similar activity.

Contributions to the Dr. Jack Lemons Endowed Scholarship in Biomedical Engineering can be sent to Timothy M. Wick, Chair of Department of Biomedical Engineering or Victoria Allen, Director of Development and External Relations in the School of Engineering or can be made online by clicking here.

Undergraduate Research Support:  Completion of a Senior Thesis or undergraduate research project increases the student’s competitiveness for graduate school, professional school, fellowships and employment and is a critical component of our undergraduate program.  More that 45% of BME undergraduates participate in at least one significant research project during their Bachelor’s studies; often as part of UAB’s Science and Technology Honor’s Program or the BME Departmental Honor’s Program.  While honor’s students may receive scholarship or tuition assistance, often a research project cannot succeed due to lack of funds for materials and supplies.  Funds from the Undergraduate Research Endowment will be available to BME students working on a well-defined project in support of their undergraduate research supervised by a BME faculty member.

Biomedical Engineering Leadership Fund: Most financial support comes with very specific limitation on how it can be spent. The Leadership Fund is a critical resource for the Chair, allowing the department flexibility to respond to emerging needs and opportunities. Your gift will enhance faculty recruiting, faculty and staff development and provide resources for special initiatives that expand our research, education and outreach programs.

Undergraduate Scholarships: While UAB provides an affordable educational opportunity, rising costs make it difficult for many students to work and attend school at the same time.  As the cost of attending college continues to rise, the BME department is committed to providing scholarships for deserving students to complete their BME degree at UAB.  These funds are awarded to eligible students based on academic merit, research potential and financial need. Your donation to this fund is especially valuable to our students (and their families) during these difficult times.

Giving to UAB is easy.  Here’s how:

1. To make a cash gift, make a check payable to the UAB Research Foundation and specify the area of designation.  Mail your check to:

UAB Gift Records Office

AB1230

1530 3rd Avenue South

Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0112

2. Make a Gift On-Line

For additional information about giving to the Biomedical Engineering Program, contact Victoria Allen, Director of Development, at (205) 934-8481 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .