Tech, Emory offer new joint Ph.D.

Beginning in the fall semester, Georgia Tech and Emory will jointly offer a new Ph.D. degree for Biomedical Engineering. It will mark the first time that a public and private school has jointly offered a degree of its kind.

The program will offer a range of medical and engineering classes, focusing on cardiovascular mechanics and biology, cellular and tissue engineering, neurosciences and engineering, biomedical imaging, and biomedical modeling and computing.

"It's good to have a biomedical engineering program in the state," said Martin Aguilera, an ME senior.

The goal of the program is to prepare students for positions in teaching and research facilities in fields as diverse as private industry, hospitals, law, and government agencies by enabling students to postulate and solve biomedical problems.

"I think the biomedical engineering program is a great way for students to learn both the engineering aspect from Tech and the biological side from Emory," said Debnil Chowdhury, a ChE major.

"It's good that it's a joint program," he continued. "Tech is better at the engineering parts, and Emory is better at biology."

It is hoped that other candidates of the program will have the same sentiments.

The program will last no more than five years, with the first two years going to core classes in life sciences and engineering. When completed, students will be awarded a degree from both Tech and Emory.

"You would get a good education combining both the engineering and science aspects," said Nick Maser, an Undecided Engineering Major. "You'd be getting the best of both worlds."

The main requirements for the program include a B.S. in Engineering or Life Sciences, a year of calculus based physics, a year of organic chemistry, and both calculus and differential equations.

For more information, contact grad.studies@bme.gatech.edu or visit www.bme.gatech.edu/degrees/joint_phd.html.