Creating Inclusive Environments to Support Learning and Professional Development in Biomedical Engineering Education

Abstract At the Fifth Biomedical Engineering (BME) Education Summit in 2024, the BME education professional community discussed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in a series of workshops. The goals were to identify professional competencies related to DEI that support students after graduation, to outline strategies for including DEI principles in teaching and learning, and to describe efforts in BME departments that support an equitable and inclusive educational environment. Using a backward design approach, workshop leaders guided participants as they outlined desirable outcomes, assessment strategies, and inclusive activities to support DEI efforts. Based on the feedback from participants, pharmaceutical industry representatives, and supporting literature, we propose an “Engineering for All” framework in BME education with strategies for lowering systemic barriers and creating an equitable and inclusive learning environment.