Stevens Professor Arthur Ritter Elected to AIMBE College of Fellows

Hoboken, NJ, November 11, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Dr. Arthur Ritter, Distinguished Service Professor and Associate Department Director for Biomedical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, has recently been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).

His selection by AIMBE represents national recognition for Dr. Ritter's efforts in the field of biomedical engineering research as a leading scientist and educator. As one of the principal guiding architects of the Biomedical Engineering program at Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation UniversityTM he capitalizes on a rich career working in industry and academia in order to provide students significant opportunities where these communities meet.

"This acknowledgement of Dr. Ritter's accomplishments is a testament to the far-ranging impact of his work at Stevens," says Dr. Michael Bruno, Dean of the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science. "Dr. Ritter's passion for educating young people and his stature as a medical innovator combine to create a powerful learning environment in which our students develop the skills and the industry contacts to have lifelong success."

Dr. Ritter's has had a diverse and productive career. He worked as a chemical engineer in the aerospace industry for ten years before returning to academia to earn his Ph.D. During his first academic appointment, at Stevens, he studied the chemical processes involved in solar energy storage. This later led to research in pulmonary transport and metabolism in-vivo and a position at the New Jersey Medical School.

Dr. Ritter returned to Stevens in 2003 to lead the new Biomedical Engineering program, which has experienced explosive growth and gives students generous opportunities for intellectual and professional growth. Current senior design projects and ongoing faculty research have initiated collaborations with Hackensack University Medical Center and the US Army at Fort Detrick, as well as a new initiative in bio-robotics focused on developing procedures for non-invasive surgery using robotic devices.

"Education should be two-pronged, involving classroom learning and also interactions with industry professionals," says Dr. Ritter. "Our program focuses on those interactions—with medical professionals in hospitals, medical schools, and biomedical device companies—to prepare students for success after graduation."

Ongoing collaborations between students and faculty in the program have the potential to lead to groundbreaking new applications in biomedical technologies. Department research is regularly featured in conference poster sessions and presentation talks.

"Prof. Ritter's election to the College of Fellows of AIMBE is not only an honor for Prof. Ritter, but is a testament to the success and impact that the Biomedical Engineering Program has had under his leadership," says Dr. Philip Leopold, Director of the Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering. "Prof. Ritter's election places Stevens squarely on the map of our nation's foremost biomedical engineering programs."

AIMBE was founded in 1991 to provide a clear voice for medical and biological engineers in industry and academia. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization promotes awareness of the field and its contributions to society, works with officials to develop public policy, improves communication and understanding with the general public, and stimulates science and engineering education. As a final thrust, AIMBE recognizes leadership and accomplishment within the field.

"I strongly believe in AIMBE's mission in developing additional support from Congress," Dr. Ritter says. "Through the organization's staff and the national meetings in Washington, we are able to have a direct impact on funding and support for medical science research and education."

Although his contributions have been critical to the Biomedical Engineering at Stevens, Dr. Ritter is quick to reference that famous quote from Isaac Newton about benefiting from those who have come before. He also claims that progress in science is never the result of an individual working in isolation.

"The faculty and students have been instrumental in its success, and are really the greatest contributors to the program," he says. Dr. Ritter also recognizes Stevens alumnus Warren Wells '42, for his fundamental role in supporting the growing program.

Stevens Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering
The mission of the Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, and Biomedical Engineering (CCBBME) is to exploit the natural interdependence of science and engineering, to maintain comprehensive educational programs, and to conduct innovative and purposeful chemistry and biology research that will both inform and be informed by biomedical engineering applications. CCBBME fulfills the larger mission of Stevens Institute of Technology, which creates new knowledge and educates and inspires students to acquire the competencies needed to lead in scientific discovery and in the creation, application and management of technology to solve complex problems and to build new enterprises.

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