The theme for BE Day 2022 was “Bridging the Boundaries in Bioengineering”, with the goal of highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of bioengineering by showcasing the various specializations of successful bioengineers. To do so, we invited speakers without a bioengineering undergraduate background to present at various components throughout our event. We also invited students from departments outside of bioengineering, including the Chemistry & Biochemistry, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanoengineering, Chemical Engineering, and Public Health departments, to explore their potential role in this field.

This year, we were fortunate enough to host Bioengineering Day on April 22nd at Price Center, making it the first in-person BE Day since BE Day 2019. The event started off with a keynote speech by Dr. Jay Rubinstein, Professor of Otolaryngology and Bioengineering at the University of Washington, titled “Translational Bioengineering of the Inner Ear: One Person’s Career Path.” The event then progressed throughout the day, featuring demonstrations by three companies and six graduate students, a networking lunch where students could connect with fourteen professionals, and the final round of the annual Quizbowl tournament. The event was structured to follow the COVID guidelines set in place by UC San Diego, making it an enjoyable yet safe experience for our 484 attendees.

However, the central focus of our event was the senior design presentations, where 37 teams of graduating seniors presented the research and innovative projects they have worked on for the past year. This year also featured a special appearance from the winning capstone project team from Purdue University at our afternoon poster session thanks to a generous contribution from Dr. John Watson. Since BE Day truly serves to celebrate bioengineering students and their educational achievements, it is important for us to recognize all 37 teams’ hard work and success, especially the 4 teams recognized for their exemplary work with awards.

Bioengineering Day 2022 would not have been possible without our wonderful planning committee who have spent the last year preparing for and planning this event. We would also like to thank the Bioengineering Department for their continued support of BE Day, especially Irene, Gabriella, Carol, and Helder, Dr. Watson. We would like to thank Justina Houston from the Institute of Engineering and Medicine, Alex and Hector for photography services, our company sponsor Pelican Expression Technologies, and the Senior Design Team including Dr. Wheeler, Sicily, Anahid, Bryan, and Mina.