Distinguished Professor Named Fellow of Medical and Biological Engineers' Institute

Whit Pruitt

Min Zou

Min Zou, Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering, has been inducted into the College of Fellows for the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

Election as a fellow is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to medical and biological engineers, composed of the top 2% of engineers in these fields. Membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering and medicine research, practice or education" and to "the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of medical and biological engineering or developing/implementing innovative approaches to bioengineering education."

Zou was nominated, reviewed and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows "for outstanding contributions to the development of micro/nanoscale surface engineering and 3D nanoprinting techniques for biomedical implant and tissue engineering applications."

Zou thanked Ranu Jung, associate vice chancellor, Distinguished Professor of biomedical engineering and founding executive director of the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research at the U of A, for nominating her. She also expressed thanks for support from Department of Mechanical Engineering head Darin Nutter, College of Engineering Dean Kim Needy, students and mentors.

"Their help has been key to my success," Zou said. "This honor motivates me to keep advancing medical and biological engineering, work with peers on important health challenges and encourage new engineers to strive for excellence and innovation."

A formal induction ceremony was held during the AIMBE annual event at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, on March 25. Zou was inducted along with 162 colleagues who make up the AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2024.

Jung, as nominator, said she's thrilled to celebrate recognition of Zou's outstanding achievements in micro and nanoscale surface engineering that have advanced biomedical and tissue engineering applications for societal impact.

"Min Zou is an inspiration for women in STEM fields and an example of the exceptional talent that is driving research innovation in Arkansas," Jung said.

Needy noted that the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering honor is one of many Zou has garnered recently.

"This prestigious honor not only reflects Dr. Zou's outstanding contributions to the field but also highlights the excellence and innovation that defines our engineering community," Needy said. "Well done, and may this recognition inspire and propel us all toward greater heights of success and innovation in the future."

Distinguished Professor Min Zou in science lab. Photo by Whit Pruitt, University Relations

Zou is internationally recognized for her expertise in nanoscale surface engineering, nanomechanics and nanotribology. She has received numerous awards and honors for her groundbreaking research, including the prestigious National Science Foundation Career Award (2007), two Al Sonntag Awards (2021 and 2013), the Edmond E. Bisson Award (2019) and the Walter D. Hodson Award (2001) from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, where she is also a fellow. She has received the Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award for Research (2018) and the SEC Faculty Achievement Award (2023). She is a fellow of the Arkansas Research Alliance, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

While most AIMBE fellows hail from the United States, the College of Fellows has inducted fellows representing more than 30 countries. AIMBE fellows are employed in academia, industry, clinical practice and government.

AIMBE fellows are among the most distinguished medical and biological engineers, including three Nobel Prize laureates and 22 Presidential Medal of Science and/or Technology and Innovation awardees. Additionally, 214 fellows have been inducted to the National Academy of Engineering, 117 inducted to the National Academy of Medicine and 48 inducted to the National Academy of Sciences.

About AIMBE: The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering is the authoritative voice and advocate for the value of medical and biological engineering to society. AIMBE's mission is to recognize excellence, advance public understanding and accelerate medical and biological innovation. No other organization brings together academic, industry, government and scientific societies to form a highly influential community advancing medical and biological engineering. AIMBE's mission drives advocacy initiatives into action on Capitol Hill and beyond.