ICBMSP’09 Special Session on Women in Bioengineering

Report

The Centre for Biomedical Informatics & Signal Processing of Bio Medical  Engineering Dept of SSN College of Engineering, Chennai in association with Sai Bio Science Research Institute (SBRI)  and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), USA organized the   2nd  International conference on  Bio medical informatics & Signal processing (ICBMSP'09)on 13th  & 14th  March, 2009 at SSN  campus.

A Special session on women in bio engineering was held on 14th March 2009 at the auditorium of SSN Campus. Dr Dinesh Mital and Dr N.Sriraam, Program Chairs,ICBMSP’09  chaired the session. In his welcome address, Dr Sriraam elaborated the importance of this special session.

The following speaker’s delivered the key note address during the session:
   Dr Parvathi Gopal
   Director,Indian Aeropsace Medicine Institute
    Bangalore
Topic:   'Interfacing Women with Aviation Advancement'

Profile: Dr Parvati Gopal  Graduate from Madras Medical College and passed out in the year 1977. Completed post graduation in ‘Aviation Medicine’ from Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) in the year 1986. Worked as Aviation medical specialist in UB Air before joining DRDO as Scientist and got posted to IAM in 1992. Worked as HOD in the departments of Human Engineering, High Altitude Physiology and Hyperbaric medicine and Research Division.Posted to DRDO on promotion in the year 2003 and become as Joint Director, and then promoted as Associate Director.Presently posted to IAM and Heading the Division of Space & Environmental & High Altitude Physiology and Hyperbaric Medicine.Have presented more than 50 papers in National and International forums and published several papers in various journals. Won recognition in all national news papers and television channels as the first woman in aviation medicine.Chief Minister’s award for being the first women in aerospace medicine in 1987.Rotary club award as the ‘Best woman achiever’ 1988.Entered Limca Book of records, in 2007.  as ‘First woman aerospace doctor’

Profile: Nivedita Raghunath is currently a Senior Research Specialist at Emory University, Center for Systems Imaging. She is also the co-founder of a company, Kilorie LLC, which provides chronic disease management solutions. She received her Bachelors in Electronics and Communication from the PES Institute of Technology, Bangalore and her Masters in Biomedical Engineering from the University of South Florida, Tampa.
In the course of her research, Nivedita has been involved with several biomedical imaging projects encompassing multiple imaging modalities (X-ray, PET, MRI). Her key research projects include Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) in mammography, motion correction in PET and kidney function modeling using MRI. Her areas of expertise and interest include biomedical imaging, informatics, data mining and electronic medical records. Nivedita has published several peer reviewed papers in leading journals and conferences.

She gave a technical talk on PET imaging: Retrospect and Prospect PET imaging: Retrospect and Prospect. During her speech, she also highlighted the challenging roles for the women community in the biomedical field. She also addressed  the possible opportunities for doing higher studies at abroad and corresponding job opportunities for the women

Ms.D.Malathi, Director,Sai’s Biosciences Research Institute Pvt.Ltd ,delivered a  key note address on importance of bioinformatics field and potential applications for the women community in terms of Jo market.

 Finally the best women award has been given to Dr Parvathi Gopal based on her contribution to the aviation engineering field. Based on the 12 applications received, the committee has recommended her name due to her contribution as women to the engineering society.