Department of Biomedical Engineering Recognitions and Awards
Click through the slides to see all of the awards our BME Students and Faculty have earned!
Internal Awards
Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award
This award is presented to a BME undergraduate student who has shown exemplary effort and understanding in their research and has contributed to the Biomedical Engineering Field.
- 2025 - Ellie Karren
- 2024 - Peyton King
- 2023 - Lindsey Stewart
- 2022 - Kasper Koblanski
Outstanding Undergraduate Leadership Award
This BME Award is presented to an undergraduate student who has exhibited outstanding leadership qualities within the Biomedical Engineering Department.
- 2025 - None
- 2024 - Tanner Frahm
- 2023 - Britney Chen
- 2022 - Travis Seamons
Outstanding Dissertation Award
This BME Award is presented to a graduate student who’s dissertation showcased their exceptional work and research during their time as a Biomedical Engineering student.
- 2025 - Johnathan Le
- 2024 - Casia Wardzala
- 2023 - None
- 2022 - Hema Sulkar
- 2021 - Brian Zenger
- 2020 - Jacob George
- 2019 - Daria Anderson
Senior Research Symposium Awards
These BME Department Awards are presented at our Senior Research Symposium. An annual event celebrating the completion of an academic year of work for our senior majors who all give short presentations on their research.
2025:
Speaker Awards:
First Place
- Sylvia Pack
- Kishore Jay
- Lauren Hulse
Second Place
- Jashanpreet Kaur
- Malia Mason
- Abbie Saccomanno
Third Place
- Sarah Kingsley
- Amir Sharaf
- Madelyn Lott
Poster Awards:
- 1st Place - Ellie Karren
- 2nd Place - Kaysen Hansen
- 3rd Place - Margret Pozo
2024:
Speaker Awards:
First Place
- Rui Jin
- Mairin Kelly
- Peyton Leyendecker
Second Place
- Askel Anderson
- Isaac Kendall
- Calvin Coates
Third Place
- Oliver Hubbard
- Cameron Davis
- Ty Lunde
Poster Awards:
- 1st Place - Cannon Hansen
- 2nd Place - Lyndsey Schultz
- 3rd Place - Cameron Davis
2023:
Speaker Awards:
First Place
- Meredith Miller
- Grace Ojewia
- Sarthak Tiwari
Second Place
- Kai Pruyn
- Josh Larson
- Olivia Walker
third Place
- Abby Harrison
- Josh Crockett
- Lindsey Stewart
Poster Awards:
- 1st Place - Dainen Parry
- 2nd Place- James Craig
- 3rd Place - Ryan Jensen
Price College of Engineering Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award
This award is given to an undergraduate student in the Price College of Engineering who has shown extraordinary efforts in their research.
- 2025 - Ellie Karren
Price College of Engineering Outstanding Undergraduate Leadership Award
This award is given to a Price College of Engineering Undergraduate student who has exemplified exceptional leadership skills.
- 2024 Tanner Frahm
Price College of Engineering Outstanding Dissertation Award
This award is given to a graduate student in the Price College of Engineering for their outstanding work and research on their dissertation.
- 2025 - Johnathan Le
University Teaching Assistantship
The University Teaching Assistantship is a program designed to improve graduate education programs and training at the University of Utah in the service of undergraduate education through the creative use of graduate teaching assistants. Mentoring of graduate students to assist them in preparing for teaching careers is an integral part of the program.
- 2022 - David Jiang
- 2020 - Tyler Thompson
Bench to Bedside
Bench to Bedside is a program hosted by the Center for Medical Innovation. Students from across Utah come together to solve issues facing healthcare professionals today and build next generation medical devices.
2025:
- $20,000 - Team Aloe | BME Student(s) - Isabella White
- $15,000 - Team OrthoBolt | BME Student(s) - Mitch Kirkham
- $10,000 - Team Impedia | BME Student(s) - Steven Kramer
- $5,000 - Team Forte BCI | BME Student(s) - Megan Morris
- $2,500 - Team Code Clock | BME Student(s) - Alicia Du, Diego Perez, Evan Marsh, Josh Whiting, and Leonardo Ferrisi
- $2,500 - Team NeoPulse | BME Student(s) - Calvin Coates, Parker Mason, Cambri Jessop, and Izabella Echols
2024:
- $20,000 - Team C-Blu | BME Student(s) - Libby Brooks, Derek Lewis, Ryleigh Smith, Nathan Wallace, and Ethan Betts
- $15,000 - Team SoundPass | BME Student(s) - Jordan Johnson
- $10,000 - Team OrthoBolt | BME Student(s) - Mitch Kirkham
- $10,000 - Team Code Clock | BME Student(s) - Josh Whiting and Diego Perez
- $5,000 - Team CathSecure | BME Student(s) - Anit Jhaveri
- $5,000 - Team NeuroRobotic Technologies | BME Student(s) - Monika Buczak
- $5,000 - Team AdhesioNix | BME Student(s) - Amanda Lematty and Robert Falconer
- $2,500 - Team T-scope | BME Student(s) - Bryan Anderson and Xavier Grube
Thomas G. Stockham Medal for Conspicuously Effective teaching
The Stockham Medal for Conspicuously effective Teaching is in memory of Thomas G. Stockham Jr., a professor of electrical engineering, and is awarded to one graduate student each year for “conspicuously effective teaching.”
- 2022 - David Jiang
University Graduate Research Fellowship
The Graduate Research Fellowship is given to graduate students who show exemplary work in their research in order to provide them the opportunity to pursue it full-time during the fellow’s academic year.
2023:
- Ethan Griswold
2022:
- Kylee North
2021:
- Hunter Strathman
- Jake Berquist
2019:
- Keith Arlotta
University Distinguished Mentor Award
The Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Distinguished Mentor Award honors and encourages the considerable efforts and accomplishments of faculty who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
- 2023 – Dr. Dennis Parker
- 2017 – Dr. Jindrich Kopecek
- 2014 – Dr. Bruce Gale
- 2010 – Dr. David Grainger
UU Distinguished Researcher Award
The Distinguished Research Award (DRA) is a prestigious faculty award designed to recognize outstanding achievements in research by three University of Utah faculty each year.
- 2021 - Dr. Jeff Wiess
- 1993 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
Price College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award
The PCoE Outstanding Teaching Award is presented to a faculty member who has dedicated time and effort into their teaching showcasing their exemplary mentoring and education capabilities.
- 1996 - Dr. Douglas A. Christensen
The Price College of engineering top 15% Graduate Teacher Award
This award is given to faculty members to honor them for being in the top 15% of Graduate Level Instructors for the Price College of Engineering.
- 2024 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
- 2022 - Dr. Jeff Weiss
- 2022 - Dr. David Grainger
- 2021 - Dr. Michael Yu
- 2020 - Dr. Jan Kubanek
- 2003 - Dr. Patrick Tresco
- 2002 - Dr. Patrick Tresco
Price College of Engineering Outstanding Patent Award
The PCoE Outstanding Patent Award is given to an individual who received a patent for their outstanding work and efforts.
- 1996-1998 - Dr. Douglas A. Christensen
College of Pharmacy Outstanding Undergraduate research Mentor
The College of Pharmacy Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award is given to a faculty member who has exhibited dedication and excellence in their role as a mentor to undergraduate students.
- 2024 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
UU Distinguished Teaching Award
The Distinguished Teaching Awards recognize significant contributions to the teaching mission of the University of Utah.
- 2004 - Dr. Douglas A Christensen
Calvin S. and JeNeal N. Hatch Prize for Excellence in Teaching
The Calvin S. and JeNeal N. Hatch Prize is awarded for excellence in teaching over an extended period of time. The prize is usually awarded to an outstanding faculty member who has been teaching at the University of Utah for at least 20 years.
- 2015 - Dr. Douglas A. Christensen
University of Utah Outstanding Educator Award of Health Sciences Graduate Students
The Outstanding Educator Award of Health Sciences Graduate Students – PhD recognizes a faculty member who contributes to the success of graduate students at University of Utah Health. It recognizes the outstanding impact the faculty has on graduate student education.
- 2022 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
Price College of Engineering Top Undergraduate Teacher Award
This Award is given to a faculty member who has contributed to the success of an undergraduate student in the Price College of Engineering.
- 2017 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
University of Utah Distinguished Professor
The University of Utah Distinguished Professor is described in Policy and Procedures 6-300 as, “The rank of Distinguished Professor is reserved for selected individuals whose achievements exemplify the highest goals of scholarship as demonstrated by recognition accorded to them from peers with national and international stature, and whose record includes evidence of a high dedication to teaching as demonstrated by recognition accorded to them by students and/or colleagues.”
- 2010 - Dr. David Grainger
- 2002 - Dr. Jindřich Kopečeck
Daniel's Fund "Ethics Initiative Leadership in Education" Award
The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Leadership in Education Award honors faculty and staff across the campus of the University of Utah for their successful efforts to create new ethics-related courses, to integrate new business ethics content into existing courses, to mentor students on ethics initiatives and to help make business ethics a permanent fabric of our business school and other University of Utah academic programs and curricula.
- 2018 - Dr. David Grainger
University of Utah Innovation Awards: Founder of the Year
The Innovation Awards recognize the efforts U students, staff, faculty and startups have made to pursue impactful research and contribute to the university’s culture of innovation.
- 2024 - Dr. Jan kubanek
External Awards
National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (Career)
The Faculty Early Career Development Program (Career) Supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.
- 2019 - Dr. Jessica Kramer
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and strength of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. NSF actively encourages the submission of applications from the full spectrum of talent that the US has to offer.
2023:
- Ethan Griswold
2022:
- Devaki Abhyankar
- Hannah Duffy
- Robert Falconer
- Caleb Thomson
- Kylee North
2021:
- Isabella Archibald
- Brian Cottle
- Carena Cornelssen
- Hunter Strathman
- Jake Bergquist
2020:
- Julia Dunn
- Emma Luke
- Nathaniel Ray Olsen
2019:
- Keith Arlotta
American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) Fellows
AIMBE Fellows represent the top 2% of medical and biological engineers. They include the most accomplished medical and biological engineers in academia, industry, education, clinical practice, and government.
- 2023 - Dr. Bruce Gale
- 2019 - Dr. Florian Solzbacher
- 2019 - Dr. Sarang Joshi
- 2017 - Dr. Chun Yuan
- 2017 - Dr. Robert Macleod
- 2016 - Dr. Ros Whitaker
- 2010 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
- 2008 - Dr. Dennis Parker
- 2007 - Dr. Jeff Weiss
- 2005 - Dr. Patrick Tresco
- 2005 - Dr. Glenn Prestwich
- 2004 - Dr. Richard Rabbitt
- 2004 - Dr. Christopher Johnson
- 2001 - Dr. Vladimir Hlady
- 2001 - Dr. Douglas Christensen
- 2001 - Dr. You Han Bae
- 2000 - Dr. David Grainger
- 1999 - Dr. Robert Roemer
- 1996 - Dr. Om Gandhi
- 1995 - Dr. Jindrich Kopecek
- 1993 - Dr. Dan Urr
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Fellow
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists elevates members to Fellow in recognition of their scientific achievement and sustained superior impact in the pharmaceutical sciences.
- 2011 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
- 1994 - Dr. Jindřich Kopečeck
National Academy of Inventors Fellow
The National Academy of Inventors Fellows Program was established to highlight academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.
- 2023 - Dr. David Grainger
- 2018 Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
European Society for Biomaterials International Award
The International Award is a prestigious recognition by the ESB of scientists who have generally spent their career outside Europe, who have been internationally recognised, have a high scientific profile, and have made major contributions to the field of biomaterials.
- 2020 - Dr. David Grainger
University of Otago Honorary William Evans Visiting Faculty Fellow
The William Evans fund of the University of Otago was established by the University Council in 1946
under the will of the late Dr William Evans, who directed that a trust fund be established for the
promotion and encouragement of learning. . .
Awarding of the Fellowships are made by invitation from the University on the recommendation of
the William Evans Fellowship Selection Committee.
- 2015 - Dr. David Grainger
Excellence in Biomaterials Science Award
The Excellence in Biomaterials Science Award by the Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation (formerly known as the Excellence in Surface Science Award) Recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the biomaterials science field. It is the Highest award given by the foundation.
- 2013 - Dr. David Grainger
Honorary Trustee, AO Foundation
The Assembly of AO Trustees is responsible for approving the AO’s scientific and clinical mission, important elections, and modifying the AO Foundation Charter and Bylaws. It communicates AO values to national institutions and other AO surgeons, and gathers feedback on specific regional needs.
- 2010 - Dr. David Grainger
Controlled Release Society (CRS) Fellow
Controlled Release Society Fellow. The elevation to ‘Fellow’ is a prestigious recognition of an exceptional individual in the field of controlled release, who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to the field of delivery science and technology.
- 2015 - Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
- 2010 - Dr. Jindrich Kopecek
Controlled Release Society Leadership
CRS is the home for experts dedicated to delivery science, including delivery scientists, engineers, clinicians, and technical professionals. CRS members are creating the future of delivery science and technology through fundamental delivery research, development, regulatory science, and clinical translation.
- 1995 -1996 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček | President
- 1994-1995 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček | President-Elect
- 1993-1994 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček | Vice President
- 1988-1991 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček | Member of Board of Goveners
Controlled Release Society Founders Award
The Controlled Release Society grants this honor to a current CRS member at nomination and issuance of the award who is internationally recognized for outstanding contributions in the science and technology of controlled release.
- 1999 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
Controlled Release Society (CRS) Distinguished Service Award
Established in 1994, the Distinguished Service Award is presented to a CRS member who has exhibited exceptional commitment and service to the Society
- 2023- Dr. Hamid Ghandehari
Clemson Award for Basic Research in Biomaterials
Each year, the Society For Biomaterials solicits nominations for outstanding work in the Clemson Award categories. The history of these awards reflects the strong traditional ties between the Society For Biomaterials and Clemson University since the year 1974.
- 2007 - Dr. David Grainger
International Union of Societies of Biomaterials Science and Engineering Fellow
Nomination to the status of Fellow, Biomaterials Science and Engineering is offered to individuals who are recognized for their outstanding contribution to biomaterials research, education, and service. Fellows are those who, through word and deed, foster advancements of the biomaterials field and support its professional development as a practical and intellectual endeavor.
- 1999 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
- ?? - Dr. David Grainger
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Paul Dawson Biotechnology Award
The intent of the Paul R. Dawson Award for Excellence in Patient Care Research is to recognize annually an active scientist within the ranks of pharmacy education as a leader in the broad range of research related to health services delivery directly affecting patient outcomes, including basic, clinical, translational and health services research.
- 2001 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
Japanese biomaterials Society Distinguished International Scientist Award
The Distinguished International Scientist Award is given to an individual who shows excellence in their contributions in advancement of biomaterials science
- 2006 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
US National Academy of Engineering Elected Member
Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.
- 2011 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and technology International Fellow
A Fellowship is the highest and most prestigious honour awarded by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Science to members each year in recognition of their contribution to the Academy and their accomplishment and impact in any sector of the Pharmaceutical Sciences. R
- 2018 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
US National Academy of Inventors Elected Fellow
The NAI Fellows Program was established to highlight academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.
- 2018 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
David Gin Young Investigator Award
The David Y. Gin New Investigator Award acknowledges and encourages outstanding contributions to research in carbohydrate chemistry by scientists in the first seven years of their independent career.
- 2024 - Dr. Jessica Kramer
Marion Milligan Mason Award
the Marion Milligan Mason Fund provides four grants of $55,000 every other year to women researchers engaged in basic research in the chemical sciences. Awards are for women who are starting their academic research careers.
- 2023 - Dr. Jessica Kramer
International Dream Chemistry Award
The Dream Chemistry Award is a unique competition recognizing young scientists who aspire to fulfil their dream of solving fundamental problems in chemistry or chemistry-related disciplines with bold ideas.
the Bárány Society Hallpike-Nylén Medal
the Bárány Society is an international interdisciplinary society that facilitates contact between scientists and clinicians involved in vestibular research.
- 2014 - Dr. Richard Rabbitt
Othopaedic Research Society Fellow
ORS Fellows are individuals who have demonstrated service, leadership, substantial achievement, expert knowledge, and significant contributions to the field of musculoskeletal research and to the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS).
- 2022 - Dr. Jeff Weiss
Fulbright US Scholar Award
Fulbright Scholar Awards comprise the bulk of awards offered and include opportunities for professionals, artists, and scholars at all career levels.
- 2023 - Dr. Michael Yu (Italy)
- 2016 - Dr. David Grainger (New Zealand)
PhRMA Foundation "Excellence in Pharmaceutics" Award
The PhRMA Foundation’s “Excellence in Pharmaceutics” Award is given in recognition of exceptional contributions in the pharmaceutics field.
- 2005 - Dr. David Grainger
American Association for the advancement of Science (AAAS) Elected Fellow
AAAS Elected Fellow is A member whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished and who has been a continuous member for the four year period leading up to the year of nomination, may, by virtue of such meritorious contribution be elected a Fellow by the Council.
- 2008 - Dr. David Grainger
International College of Fellows of Biomaterials Science and Engineering Elected Fellow
The mission of the International College of Fellows of Biomaterials Science and Engineering is to provide a forum for professional discussion and interactions among all Fellows on issues pertaining to international collaborations, scientific exchanges and the practice of Biomaterials Science and Engineering within a global community of scientists.
- 2008 - Dr. David Grainger
NIH/NIBIB Edward C. Nagy Investigator Award
- 2011 - Dr. Sarang Joshi
Millennial World of Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences Millennial Pharmaceutical Scientist Award
- 2000 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2017 - Dr. Jindřich Kopeček
Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society Eminent Engineer Award
- 2006 - Dr. Patrick Tresco