Did you know that researchers at Colorado State University are using the non-stick properties found in lotus leaves and water striding insects as inspiration for designing new heart valves? This is just one example of the biomedical engineering innovation that takes place in labs across campus; but students far beyond campus borders are learning from it as well.

Dr. Arun Kota, who teaches in CSU’s online biomedical engineering master’s program, explained how the research and expertise of campus faculty from multiple departments shape what online students learn in the program. This gives students a breadth of knowledge to help them create medical devices and materials that can improve the lives of humans on a mass scale.

“There are many faculty from different disciplines that bring in their expertise in different fields,” Kota said, “so automatically this creates an environment where we can synergistically come together and develop both research and teaching modules that are going to help people get interdisciplinary insight into biomedical engineering.”

Watch the video below to hear Dr. Kota explain more about what students gain from the interdisciplinary research and insights that are taught in the online biomedical engineering program.