Developing Innovative Interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Programs in Nigeria: Lessons Learned

David W. Gatchell; Robert A Linsenmeier; Robert L. Murphy; Akinwale Oladotun Coker; Akinniyi A. Osuntoki

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Conference: 2016 ASEE International Forum
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Publication Date: June 25, 2016
Start Date: June 25, 2016
End Date: June 25, 2016
Conference Session: Concurrent Paper Tracks Session I Curriculum
Tagged Topic: International Forum
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--27241
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/27241
Download Count: 1582

Paper Authors

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David W. Gatchell PhD Northwestern University

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David Gatchell is Director of the Manufacturing and Design Engineering (MaDE) program at Northwestern University. He is a clinical associate professor within the Segal Design Institute, Biomedical Engineering Department, and the Mechanical Engineering Department. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and an AB in physics from Bowdoin College.

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Robert A Linsenmeier Northwestern University

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Robert Linsenmeier is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Neurobiology, and Ophthalmology. His interests are in the microenvironment of the mammalian retina and engineering education. His teaching is primarily in physiology for both biology and BME majors. He is a fellow if the Biomedical Engineering Society, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

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Robert L. Murphy Northwestern University

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Dr. Murphy is Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University where he holds the position of Director, Center for Global Health.

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Akinwale Oladotun Coker P.E. university of ibadan

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Akinniyi A. Osuntoki University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

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Abstract

An interdisciplinary team comprising faculty from the medical school, business school and school of engineering at Northwestern University is in its third year of cultivating “locally grown” healthcare solutions in Nigeria through a grant provided by NIH’s Fogarty International Center. Through a series of training sessions at multiple sites in multiple countries, faculty at the University of Lagos (UINLAG) and the University of Ibadan (UI) are gaining the expertise and developing the infrastructure necessary to identify, design, and commercialize solutions to their own healthcare issues.

The specific aims of the grant are three-fold: 1) Establish new and strengthen existing training programs in biomedical engineering in sub-Saharan Africa; 2) Train biomedical engineers and medical doctors to evaluate newly developed HIV-related and other testing and therapeutic devices; 3) Train post graduates from business schools to scale-up development and launch new healthcare practices. In support of these specific aims we have created four distinct annual training sessions: 1) week-long annual planning meetings hosted by either UNILAG or UI and facilitated by the NU team; 2) six-week long biomedical engineering training program at the University of Cape Town (UCT) facilitated by UCT and NU faculty ; 3) participation in two-week long Kellogg Field Studies in Africa; 4) four-week long mentoring visits to NU and the greater Chicago area, including participation in the annual BMES conference. This paper describes these training programs and assesses their ability to meet the specific aims list above. In addition, we share insights gained through direct and in-direct assessments on what is working and what requires modification going forward. For example, it would appear that we need to better understand the tenure-structure at UNI and UNILAG and how multi-disciplinary design efforts will be recognized and rewarded. In addition, cultural differences, including a tendency to defer to the authors’ expertise and experience has proven problematic in the goal of transferring leadership to the UI and UNILAG faculty.

Citation
Format

Gatchell, D. W., & Linsenmeier, R. A., & Murphy, R. L., & Coker, A. O., & Osuntoki, A. A. (2016, June), Developing Innovative Interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Programs in Nigeria: Lessons Learned Paper presented at 2016 ASEE International Forum, New Orleans, Louisiana. 10.18260/1-2--27241

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - An interdisciplinary team comprising faculty from the medical school, business school and school of engineering at Northwestern University is in its third year of cultivating “locally grown” healthcare solutions in Nigeria through a grant provided by NIH’s Fogarty International Center. Through a series of training sessions at multiple sites in multiple countries, faculty at the University of Lagos (UINLAG) and the University of Ibadan (UI) are gaining the expertise and developing the infrastructure necessary to identify, design, and commercialize solutions to their own healthcare issues.

The specific aims of the grant are three-fold: 1) Establish new and strengthen existing training programs in biomedical engineering in sub-Saharan Africa; 2) Train biomedical engineers and medical doctors to evaluate newly developed HIV-related and other testing and therapeutic devices; 3) Train post graduates from business schools to scale-up development and launch new healthcare practices. In support of these specific aims we have created four distinct annual training sessions: 1) week-long annual planning meetings hosted by either UNILAG or UI and facilitated by the NU team; 2) six-week long biomedical engineering training program at the University of Cape Town (UCT) facilitated by UCT and NU faculty ; 3) participation in two-week long Kellogg Field Studies in Africa; 4) four-week long mentoring visits to NU and the greater Chicago area, including participation in the annual BMES conference. This paper describes these training programs and assesses their ability to meet the specific aims list above. In addition, we share insights gained through direct and in-direct assessments on what is working and what requires modification going forward. For example, it would appear that we need to better understand the tenure-structure at UNI and UNILAG and how multi-disciplinary design efforts will be recognized and rewarded. In addition, cultural differences, including a tendency to defer to the authors’ expertise and experience has proven problematic in the goal of transferring leadership to the UI and UNILAG faculty.

AU  - David W. Gatchell PhD
AU  - Robert A Linsenmeier
AU  - Robert L. Murphy
AU  - Akinwale Oladotun Coker P.E.
AU  - Akinniyi A. Osuntoki
CY  - New Orleans, Louisiana
DA  - 2016/06/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Developing Innovative Interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Programs in Nigeria: Lessons Learned 
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/27241
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--27241
ER  -