Office Hours

What Does a Teaching Professor Really Do? – A Conversation with Dr. Jenny Amos

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 they shape the classroom experience for future biomedical engineers. They explore topics like active learning, student belonging, and how course design can directly impact retention and success in engineering programs, along with how teaching has evolved in recent years. This conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the impact of great teaching in biomedical engineering. Connect with Us: Follow BMES on social media for more conversations like this: Twitter/X: @BMESociety [https://twitter.com/BMESociety] Instagram: @Bmesociety [https://www.instagram.com/bmesociety/] Facebook: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.facebook.com/BMESociety] LinkedIn: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/biomedical-engineering-society] Website: www.bmes.org [https://www.bmes.org/] Links to Dr. Jenny Amos' Work: Jenny Amos Profile [https://bioengineering.illinois.edu/people/jamos] Facilitating the Development of Sessions and Dissemination of Outcomes from the 5th Biomedical Engineering Educational Summit [https://rdcu.be/e3GLH] Promoting Teaching‑Focused Faculty in Biomedical Engineering: Education Summit Highlights Best Practices for Professional Development [https://rdcu.be/e3GLN] Overview of Biomedical Engineering Graduate Education Landscape [https://rdcu.be/e3GMi] Follow Dr. Jenny Amos: LinkedIn: Jenny Amos [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-amos-39574519/] Music Credit: “Vlog Music Beat Trailer Showreel Promo Background Intro Theme” by Coma-Media via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/ [https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/] Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Office Hours with Liz Wayne wherever you get your podcasts.

What Comes After Graduation? Finding Your Path in Biomedical Engineering — A Conversation with Dr. Jose Rios Lizarraga

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 undergraduate course sparked his passion for drug delivery, leading him from research at MIT to a PhD at Cornell and ultimately into pharmaceutical development. Along the way, he shares the challenges of breaking into industry, the pressure of the job search, and the importance of learning how to translate academic experience into real-world impact. Connect with Us: Follow BMES on social media for more conversations like this: Twitter/X: @BMESociety [https://twitter.com/BMESociety] Instagram: @Bmesociety [https://www.instagram.com/bmesociety/] Facebook: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.facebook.com/BMESociety] LinkedIn: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/biomedical-engineering-society] Website: www.bmes.org [https://www.bmes.org/] Follow Dr. Jose Rios Lizarraga: LinkedIn: Jose Rios Lizarraga [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joserios2/] Music Credit: “Vlog Music Beat Trailer Showreel Promo Background Intro Theme” by Coma-Media via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/ [https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/] Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Office Hours with Liz Wayne wherever you get your podcasts.

Why Professional Societies Matter in Biomedical Engineering — A Conversation with Dr. Michael King

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 community have shaped his career and why these spaces remain essential for students, researchers, and faculty alike. Together, they discuss how BMES has grown over the years, the balance between in-person and virtual engagement, the importance of supporting early-career scientists, and the challenges professional societies face in a rapidly changing academic landscape. The conversation also touches on leadership, scientific advocacy, and what the future of bioengineering communities could look like as technology and culture continue to evolve. Connect with Us: Follow BMES on social media for more conversations like this: Twitter/X: @BMESociety [https://twitter.com/BMESociety] Instagram: @Bmesociety [https://www.instagram.com/bmesociety/] Facebook: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.facebook.com/BMESociety] LinkedIn: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/biomedical-engineering-society] Website: www.bmes.org [https://www.bmes.org/] Follow Dr. Michael King: Twitter/X: @profmikeking [https://x.com/profmikeking] Bluesky: @profmikeking.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/profmikeking.bsky.social] Instagram: @profmikeking [https://www.instagram.com/profmikeking/] LinkedIn: Michael King [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-king-53797a5/] Links to Dr. Michael King's Work: Rice-Led Study Finds Focused Ultrasound Therapy Improves Cancer Treatment [https://news.rice.edu/news/2025/rice-led-study-finds-focused-ultrasound-therapy-improves-cancer-treatment]An AI Novel Series (4 Books) [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F1Q6ZC7F] Music Credit: “Vlog Music Beat Trailer Showreel Promo Background Intro Theme” by Coma-Media via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/ [https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/] Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Office Hours with Liz Wayne wherever you get your podcasts.

Nerve Regeneration and Academic Leadership — A Conversation with BMES President Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert

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 administration while helping shape the future of biomedical engineering. Together, Wayne and Sakiyama-Elbert unpack what it really means to build strong academic ecosystems, lead with purpose, and support the next generation of engineers in a rapidly changing world. Connect with Us: Follow BMES on social media for more conversations like this: Twitter/X: @BMESociety [https://twitter.com/BMESociety] Instagram: @Bmesociety [https://www.instagram.com/bmesociety/] Facebook: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.facebook.com/BMESociety] LinkedIn: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/biomedical-engineering-society] Website: www.bmes.org [https://www.bmes.org/] Follow Dr. Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert's: Linkedin: @Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-sakiyama-elbert-61115311] Links to Dr. Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert's Work: The Sakiyama-Elbert Lab [https://depts.washington.edu/sselabuw/] The Office of Research & Graduate Education [https://research-grad-ed.uwmedicine.org/] Music Credit: “Vlog Music Beat Trailer Showreel Promo Background Intro Theme” by Coma-Media via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/ [https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/] Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Office Hours with Liz Wayne wherever you get your podcasts.

Pregnancy as an Engineering Process — A Conversation with Dr. Michelle Oyen

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 cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Together, they explore the mechanical properties of the amniotic sac, how environmental factors like atmospheric pressure can influence birth outcomes, and why pregnancy remains one of the most understudied areas in medicine. The conversation highlights both the challenges of researching pregnancy and the powerful role biomedical engineering can play in advancing women’s and maternal health. Connect with Us: Follow BMES on social media for more conversations like this: Twitter/X: @BMESociety [https://twitter.com/BMESociety] Instagram: @Bmesociety [https://www.instagram.com/bmesociety/] Facebook: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.facebook.com/BMESociety] LinkedIn: Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [https://www.linkedin.com/company/biomedical-engineering-society] Website: www.bmes.org [https://www.bmes.org/] Follow Dr. Michelle Oyen: Linkedin: @Michelle Oyen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-oyen/] Links to Dr. Michelle Oyen's Work: Engineering is Pregnant with Possibilities [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adg6048] Virtual Pregnancies: Predicting and Preventing Pregnancy Complications with Digital Twins [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589750024000864] FDA Modernization Act 2.0 and Reproductive Research [https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85218826040] As Mentioned on the Episode: America’s Stillbirth Crisis: Before a Breath | FULL DOCUMENTARY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-lrlMTptRg] Music Credit: “Vlog Music Beat Trailer Showreel Promo Background Intro Theme” by Coma-Media via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/ [https://pixabay.com/music/beats-vlog-music-beat-trailer-showreel-promo-background-intro-theme-274290/] Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Office Hours with Liz Wayne wherever you get your podcasts.