Dr. Bidez is currently a UAB Professor and Graduate Program Director of the MEng in Advanced Safety Engineering and Management and also serves as President and CEO of BioEchoes, Inc a biomedical engineering consulting firm specializing in system safety. Dr. Bidez has received numerous recognitions for her accomplishments in both the academic and the private sectors. She served as a full-time, tenured faculty member within the UAB School of Engineering from 1987- 1996. In 1997, she moved into the private sector as the founding President and CEO of BioHorizons, Inc., an international oral reconstructive device manufacturing company with a flagship product line based upon patented technology developed within Dr. Bidez’ UAB laboratory. Her personal entrepreneurial story of becoming the first female CEO in the global medical device manufacturing industry has inspired audiences worldwide. Furthermore, Dr. Bidez has published extensively, provided 30 international invited presentations and workshops in 13 countries, and participated actively in public policy advocacy at the local, national and international levels, particularly related to consumer safety and women’s issues. In 2011, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) named Dr. Bidez as one of “100 Women” (living or dead) who have made the greatest contributions to global safety. Most recently, the International System Safety Society designated Dr. Bidez as “2011 Educator of the Year.”