Joyce Wong Elected to National Academy of Inventors

BU engineer and CMTM faculty member recognized for leadership in biomedical innovations, and STEM diversity and inclusion efforts

At BU, Dr. Joyce Wong is a forerunner in breaking down gender barriers that have been particularly resistant in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. She is a leader in STEM diversity at BU and the inaugural director of ARROWS (Advance, Recruit, Retain & Organize Women in STEM). In 2019, she coauthored a consensus paper published in Science that outlined several policy frameworks that could increase gender diversity in the STEM fields. She is also the chair of the College of Fellows for the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and the chair of the Awards Committee for the Biomedical Engineering Society.

Wong’s recent research has focused on the development of tissue engineering for the surgical reconstruction of blood vessels in pediatric patients, and the migration of cells in response to mechanical factors. But as the pandemic raged last April, she quickly turned her focus to designing medical equipment that could help contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Working with other BU engineers, she designed a negative pressure chamber that would isolate patients and prevent respiratory droplets from spreading. She also helped develop a 3D-printed bracket that maintains a reliable connection between an endotracheal tube and an attached respiratory circuit.

Read more about Dr. Wong’s election to the National Academy of Inventors in the full article by Art Jahnke of BU’s The Brink by clicking the button  below.