Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Promotion and Tenure in Biomedical Engineering: Communication from the Biomedical...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Bioengineering
• Academic Advancement

Background:

• Promotion and Tenure (P&T) are central to academic institutions.
• Biomedical engineering focuses on developing tools for clinical needs.
• Incorporating innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer (I/E/T) into P&T requires defined criteria and evaluation methodologies.

Discussion:

• A survey of biomedical and bioengineering department chairs reveals a commitment to valuing I/E/T activities in P&T.
• There is a recognized need for improved internal and external policies and education for evaluating I/E/T.
• Broadening P&T criteria can align academic missions with innovation and translation.

Key Insights:

• Biomedical engineering departments are receptive to "broadening the bar" for P&T to include I/E/T.
• Clear evaluation frameworks and educational resources are crucial for successful I/E/T integration.
• The field is poised to establish a model for other engineering and applied science disciplines.

Outlook:

• This initiative can serve as a template for incorporating diverse efforts like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into academic pillars.
• Further development of evaluation metrics will be essential for equitable assessment of I/E/T.
• The study highlights a path toward a more comprehensive definition of academic scholarship.