Foundations of innovation [President's Message]

This is my final column as the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) president. During the past years, I have had the opportunity to work with many EMBS members and to receive a variety of perspectives on what we do, what we should do, and what we could do differently. As you may guess, although some consensus exists, ourmembers have many different views on EMBS. We can profit from these perspectives and continue the task of improving our Society for the benefit of our members and the profession.     

The way ahead

As you talk to IEEE volunteers and leaders and read through IEEE announcements, you may encounter the relatively new acronym MGA. What is MGA? What does it stand for? Is it just another department in the huge IEEE worldwide organization? In this issue, I will share my thoughts on MGA with you.     

The dreaded question. . . [GOLD]

All good things must come to an end, including a thesis. After years of reading countless journal articles, scouring through textbooks, listening to hours of lectures, attending annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) conferences, meeting numerous clinicians, coding at all hours of the night, and dissecting draft after draft after written draft, there comes a time in every graduate student?s life when the thesis is ready for the print room. Engineering graduate students around the world spend years of their lives striving toward the goal of a finished thesis product, one which contributes novel ideas and techniques to the scientific community. However, upon reaching the pinnacle of their early careers, it is almost a certainty that every student will be faced with the dreaded question: "Now that you have finished your thesis, what's next?"     

We can make it better! [President's Message]

It is my great pleasure to write to you as the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) president while we are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the IEEE. The IEEE has had significant and lasting impact on engineering and related fields and has become one of the most influential professional societies in the world. Being a member society of the IEEE, the EMBS has played a significant and leadership role in the field of biomedical engineering. As the IEEE symbolizes technical excellence and societal impact, we should make every effort to maintain and enhance the quality and impact of what we are doing and what we plan to do.     

From the Editor

I hope everyone has had a restful and productive summer. For me, this summer has been full of traveling around the world, and I still find it hard to believe that summer is coming to a close and another school year begins. I amsure that you will enjoy this issue on biomedical engineering in China from guest editor Bin He, who is also the IEEE Engineering inMedicine and Biology Society (EMBS) president-elect.     

Highlights [President's Message]

The year 2009 has been a productive year for the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS). We have accomplished a great deal in enhancing the quality of conferences and publications, owing to the tremendous efforts from our volunteers and staff. I take great pride in recognizing the achievements of our members. Across the globe, we are fortunate to have innumerable examples of significant progress. It is my pleasure to report to you the past year's highlights.     

The way ahead (the IEEE)

It is my pleasure to author this column for another year as the chair of the 2009 MGA Student Activities Committee. As young professionals, you are pursuing your studies with the ultimate goal of establishing your careers in academe, industry, the nonprofit sector, or government organizations. As members of the IEEE you expect the largest professional organization in the world to provide you with tools and resources to obtain and maintain your long-lasting careers.     

MTT is GOLD! [From the Editors' Desk]

Unlike previous special issues of IEEE Microwave Magazine, this one is not dedicated to a specific topic within the microwave arena. Rather, it is built under the umbrella of an idea; the idea behind Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD). GOLD was instituted by the IEEE in 1996 with the charter of helping young professionals transition from being a student to entering the professional world.     

Student activities around the world: IEEE EMBS UKRI student club features PGBIOMED 2009

One of the benefits of promoting the formation of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBS) student associations around the world is to allow university trainees to engage with the global biomedical community at a local, national, and international scale. As part of our continuous efforts toward promoting student activities within EMBS, this column reflects on the experience of a successful EMBS Student Club from Europe [the IEEE EMBS United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (UKRI) Student Club] in hosting the fifth edition of a conference organized by students for students: the Postgraduate Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics (PGBIOMED).     

The value of GOLD

You worked hard the past few years and finally graduated. You landed a job and picked out where you are going to live. Everything has been planned out and what you've missed you'll figure out after you have moved. If you're like me when I graduated, then you'll likely be surprised at how your life is about to change. Graduation from college is a life-changing event, like going to college for the first time, getting married, and having kids. You'll find many resources to help you, and the IEEE can be one of those resources.     

President's Message

Over the past decade, the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) has expanded its international outreach in a number of areas. Almost half of the EMBS members now reside outside the United States. The international efforts of the EMBS can be seen in many of the activities summarized below.     

EMBC 2009 at a glance. . . [Student's Corner]

Another year has gone by and while you are all enjoying summertime, keep in mind that every year, near the end of the summer, it's time for the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC). This year, the 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) will be held 2-6 September 2009 at the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, the world capital of the medical device industry. The meeting will bring together more than 2,000 of the world's experts in biomedical engineering, including academics, researchers, industrialists, clinicians, and trainees for five days of science, networking, and social events.     

Online visibility: EMBS gets e-savvy [Student Activities]

I came across an e-newsletter from the British Museum last week advertising free delivery when you spend more than ￡100 on British Museum sculptures and replicas. Inasmuch as my small flat in London could use a bust replica of an Egyptian noble woman or a Rosetta Stone coffee mug, it was the ending of the newsletter that caught my eye in particular. To help others find this newsletter, the British Museum has conveniently provided links to ten networking Web sites (some of which I have never heard of): Digg It!, Del.ico.us, Newsvine, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Myspace, LinkedIn. The British Museum is e-savvy. I started to think about the IEEE and the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS), and I thought I would share some of our own proud e-achievements and current endeavors that we have come a long way over the past several years.     

The nuts and bolts of EMBS student chapters! [Student's Corner]

The Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) student chapters and clubs enable students world wide to engage with the global biomedical community, build relationships that extend beyond college, and better understand societal benefits that result from biomedical pursuits. This article addresses lessons learned from the formation of an IEEE EMBS student chapter at Kansas State University (KSU) and highlights some of the activities supported by this group, which include research to aid persons with disabilities and hands-on efforts to interest young women in science and engineering.     

Retrospective: student events at EMBC'08 [Student's Corner]

The IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) reaches the community and its members every year, bringing together researchers, clinicians, industry representatives, and trainees from around the world. The 30th annual international conference of the EMBS was held at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre in Vancouver, Canada, on 20-24 August 2008. The 2008 edition of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC) gathered more than 1,600 biomedical engineers in beautiful downtown Vancouver for four exciting days of science, networking, and social interaction.     

Society News [let's welcome new IEEE Fellows]

Reviews the history of the Fellows grade and lists the 16 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) members confirmed as IEEE Fellows effective 1 January 2008.     

Golden accomplishments in biomedical engineering

The 50th anniversary of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) is an appropriate time to look back at the origins and growth of both the field of biomedical engineering and the EMBS. The present account gives most attention to the aspects of biomedical engineering to which IEEE members (and, earlier, American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) members and Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) members) contributed, which is to say that this account emphasizes the electrical, electronic, and computing aspects of biomedical engineering. Topics covered include: history of the technologies; the roots of biomedical engineering; prehistory and history of the profession; biomedical applications of the computer; health care; ultrasound technology; new means of medical imaging; endoscopy, lasers, and fear of electromagnetic fields; study of human metabolism; the Human Genome Project, robotics, and internationalization; and forecasting progress in biomedical engineering.     

What's up in the regions? [Society News]

Four geographical representatives of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) Administrative Committee (AdCom) report on activities held in their regions. Stephen Davies (North America) reports on events in Canada. Kenji Sunagawa (Japan), Jyh Horng Chen (Taiwan), and Yong R. Yoon (Korea) refer to biomedical engineering (BME) activities in several countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Here is what they want to tell us.     

Protection of the health care and public health critical infrastructure and key assets

I write these lines with mixed emotions. Our dearest friend Swamy is now with us only in spirit. I coedited past special issues of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine with him, namely, "The New Face of Terrorism: Combating Bioterrorism with Biomedical Engineering" [1], a year after 9/11 (September/October 2002), and "Protecting the Homeland: The Many Facets of Homeland Security," January/February 2004 [2]. Therefore, I would like to dedicate this body of work to his memory. This special issue is also the last to be published under the guidance, and the tender love and care, of John Enderle, as the editor-in-chief of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine. As an editor-in-chief, John Enderle provided an extraordinary service for the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) and IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine. As the editorial remarks in the 2004 issue reflect: "Editor-in-Chief John Enderle's foresight to keep our readers abreast of the current and upcoming developments and initiatives is a source of constant encouragement to the biomedical engineering community to take on a broader role in the continuing fight against terrorism." I take this opportunity to thank John for all the years of strong and visionary leadership and for the wonderful opportunities that he provided to bring forward before the EMBS community broader, meaningful, and highly relevant scholarly perspectives, which attempted to tackle the tough and persistent problems so evident in the times in which we live.     

Society News

The newly created IEEE Member and Geographic Activities (MGA) replace the IEEE Regional Activities. The new address is http:// www.ieee.org/mga