Kenneth Lutchen

Dr. Kenneth R. Lutchen, is Dean of the College of Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. He received his B.S. in Engineering Science from the University of Virginia and the M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Lutchen is one of the world’s leading biomedical engineers. He has published over 125 peer-reviewed journal articles and patented several new methods to perform mechanical ventilation.

Dean Lutchen was Chair of Biomedical Engineering from 1998-2006. During that time the department received a $14 million dollar Leadership Award from the Whitaker Foundation and a $5 Million Translational Research Partnership Award from the Coulter Foundation. Boston University is the only institution in the nation to have received both awards. He also conceived and attracted an NIH Ph.D. Student Training Grant in Quantitative Biology and Physiology. During his Chairmanship in BME, the Department’s ranking in US News and World Report improved from 18th to 6th. Dr. Lutchen has been the recipient of the College of Engineering’s Professor of the Year Award and the Biomedical Engineering Professor of the Year Award — twice.

Dr. Lutchen is currently the President of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). He has been on the Board of Directors for the Biomedical Engineering Society, served on scientific advisory boards for the Whitaker Foundation, and for several bioengineering departments and colleges of engineering nationwide, and is a member of study sections at the National Institute of Health.

As Dean, Dr. Lutchen has orchestrated the creation of a new Division of Materials Science and Engineering, a new Division of Systems Engineering within the College of Engineering. He has also created new Concentration programs in Energy and Environmental Engineering and Nanotechnology. Since becoming Dean, undergraduate freshman enrollment has increased by 50% and Graduate funding per faculty has increased to 18th in the nation and the College’s Graduate Ranking in US News and World Report has improved from 52nd to 39th in the Nation.