Overview of UBEC:
The 2023 Utah Biomedical Engineering Conference (UBEC) hosted nearly 100 posters and 50 podium presentations from students all throughout the intermountain west. As well as an interactive Industrial Panel with professionals from all parts of the medical device industry; as well as a keynote speaker.
UBEC was founded in 2005 by Dr. Patrick Tresco and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah. At the time, despite the amazing pool of research talent in the region, a means to encourage the exchange of ideas and facilitate collaborations within the area did not exist. This conference was born from the desire to create such a platform.
The 19th annual Utah Biomedical Engineering Conference continues the proud tradition of bringing together researchers from around the state of Utah and the greater intermountain west for a broad, interdisciplinary conference that celebrates the breadth and diversity of research under the umbrella term "biomedical engineering."
This conference was founded as a melting pot to bring together researchers from different geographical areas and across the entire spectrum of biomedical engineering. While all scientists approach problems with the same principles and rigor, their analytical tools and methods can significantly differ. For instance, researchers in biomechanics will naturally gravitate towards different scientific questions and approach problems differently than those in drug delivery. As such, the diversity of research on display at UBEC challenges participants to expand their perspective, applying their expertise to different areas and examining their own research from new angles. Over the past decade, we have seen rich discussions emerge at posters, around lunch tables, and during Q&A sessions.
In particular, student participation and values have served as cornerstones of UBEC over the past decade, providing an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate researchers to highlight their work and network with their peers. Student presentations have served a vital role in the conference, helping to spread knowledge, cultivate curiosity, and engender additional collaborations among the broader research community, developing students' public speaking skills and encouraging a healthy competitive spirit amongst participants. All interested researchers are invited to register, review the conference schedule, and submit an abstract to the Utah Biomedical Engineering Conference. We look forward to another successful conference and hope that you will be able to join us.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the location and date of the UBEC 2024 Conference?
UBEC 2024 will be held on Saturday, September 21st, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The conference will take place at the University of Utah Alumni House. The conference schedule can be found here. More details about the venue, including driving and public transportation directions, are available on our Venue and Parking page.
What are the relevant conference deadlines?
The deadline for abstract submission is August 19th,2024. Abstracts can be submitted here.
Is my research relevant for UBEC?
UBEC is a conference designed to highlight the incredible breadth of the biomedical engineering arena. As such, if your research falls into any one of our subcategories (which can be found on the abstract submission page), or you believe your work would be interesting to biomedical engineering researchers, we encourage you to submit an abstract and attend the conference.
Who can attend UBEC?
The UBEC program is built around the central tenet of providing important professional development to graduate and undergraduate student researchers. However, we believe the conference has significant appeal to all levels of researchers – undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, faculty, and industrial – and is greatly enriched by the meshing of these groups. Furthermore, while the geographic focus of the conference is Utah and the greater intermountain west, individuals from any institution are welcome to attend.
How can I help support UBEC?
UBEC is only possible thanks to gracious industrial sponsors and donations. You can sponsor UBEC here.
Who is eligible to present a poster or give a talk at UBEC?
Both graduate and undergraduate researchers are eligible to present a poster. Time slots for oral presentations are reserved for graduate students.
Is there a registration cost?
Due to the generous support of our sponsors, registration is free.
How do I register for the conference?
Registration is conducted through our web interface, which can be accessed here.