Fall 2001
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Fall 2001 |
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Educating people who can bring the life sciences to life is one of the crucial needs facing our society. I am pleased to report Rose-Hulman is poised to play a role in meeting that need. What the physical sciences were to our society in the 20th century, the life sciences will be in this century. From unraveling the gene structure to tissue engineering to helping fight disease to environmental management, the life sciences will play a larger role in our quality of life. Just how effective that role is will depend on engineers and applied biologists who can transfer scientific ideas into useful solutions. This fall, Rose-Hulman took a major step in helping meet that need with the unveiling of its bachelor’s program in applied biology. Our program will produce applied biologists with the chemistry, mathematics, and physics background needed to solve biotechnological problems in the coming decades. Rose-Hulman’s applied biology program is not our first offering in the biological sciences. We had one of the first bioengineering programs in the country several years ago, and we have offered a biomedical engineering minor and an area minor in biology at the undergraduate level as well as a master’s in biomedical engineering. The new degree will take our curriculum to the next level as we strive to produce graduates who are up to meeting the life sciences challenges of this century. We also are studying the feasibility of a complete undergraduate major in biomedical engineering. Why this focus on the life sciences? The answer is simple — there is a need for people educated in applying these scientific ideas to practical solutions. A gap exists between new scientific theories and applications that turn them into products that benefit humankind. This is particularly true in the area of life sciences where many ideas exist to cure cancer and other diseases. Bringing those ideas to reality will depend on engineers and applied biologists who will transfer them to working solutions. You can’t do it just because you want to do it. You need a strong background in physical sciences, mathematics and molecular biology. Although the time lag between concept and implementation has grown shorter in recent years, things could move faster with properly trained engineers and applied biologists available to work with the theories. I have witnessed this lag in one of my specialty areas — tissue engineering and bone repair. Twenty-five years ago, a scientist discovered proteins in bones that have a dramatic impact on stem cells becoming bone-forming cells. The first products from that research are just now moving into clinical trials. Developing the research was cost prohibitive until engineers came along who solved production problems of the protein. Many times we are limited by lack of human talent in solving the problems of the world more than we are in actual dollars available to spend on those problems. I am proud of the direction Rose-Hulman is taking in helping fill that talent pool. Through careful planning and acquisition of resources, we are ready to play a crucial role in the life sciences just as we have in the physical/engineering sciences. Our applied biology program is the result of two years of intensive planning, and we have hired outstanding faculty members in that area. Plans are under way to expand physical facilities available for the program. I don’t think any college could lay claim to being the best without working on the interface between engineering and the life sciences. Rose-Hulman’s reputation rests on the commitment it made to applied physical sciences in the last century. We will continue to focus on the disciplines we have offered for decades, but we must commit to the same level in the area of applied life sciences. As new scientific breakthroughs occur, it will be good to know Rose-Hulman played a role in educating people who can turn those ideas into useful products. By Samuel Hulbert, President of
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