Seminars in Biological & Biomedical Engineering

Learning Outcomes

This course consists of a mandatory weekly seminar series in Biological and Biomedical Engineering. Students attend research seminars and present a seminar related to their own thesis research. Seminars are delivered by graduate students, faculty members, and invited speakers, and cover current research topics across the field.

After successfully completing the seminar series of the course, postgraduate students will be able to:

In terms of knowledge and understanding

• describe a range of current research themes in biological and biomedical engineering as presented through the seminar series
• summarise the methods, results, and significance of seminars attended throughout the term
• identify how research questions in their own thesis area connect to broader topics in biological and biomedical engineering
• recognise current trends, open questions, and emerging directions in biological and biomedical engineering research

In terms of skills

• deliver a clear and well-structured oral seminar presentation on their own thesis research
• use appropriate visual aids and scientific language to communicate technical content to a multidisciplinary audience
• respond to questions and engage in discussion regarding their own and others’ research
• critically appraise scientific seminars by evaluating research questions, methods, and conclusions
• synthesise information across seminars to identify themes and connections between topics
• prepare and refine seminar materials based on peer and faculty feedback
• document and reflect on the seminars attended throughout the term

In terms of competencies

• communicate scientific work effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences
• engage constructively with peers and faculty during discussions of research
• reflect on one’s own research in the context of the broader field
• work effectively within an interdisciplinary research community
• demonstrate professional behaviour expected of a researcher in academic seminar settings

Module Syllabus

Course Introduction (Week 1):

The opening session provides an overview of the seminar series, including its academic objectives, thematic focus, and relevance to current developments in biological and biomedical engineering. Students are introduced to the course structure, weekly format, and participation expectations. Guidelines for seminar presentations, scientific communication, critical discussion, and professional conduct are explained in detail. Assessment methods and evaluation criteria, including presentation quality, engagement in discussions, and overall participation, are also outlined to ensure students clearly understand the course requirements.

Research Seminars (Weeks 2–12):

During the main body of the course, students and invited speakers deliver seminars on contemporary topics and emerging research areas in biological and biomedical engineering. Presentations may cover areas such as biomedical devices, tissue engineering, biomaterials, medical imaging, computational biology, synthetic biology, biomechanics, and translational biomedical research. Each seminar is followed by an interactive question-and-answer session and guided discussion, encouraging critical analysis, scientific debate, and interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. Students are expected to actively engage with the presented material, evaluate research methodologies and findings, and develop their skills in scientific presentation, communication, and scholarly discussion.

Closing Session (Week 13):

The final session serves as an integrative review of the seminar series. Key themes, scientific advances, and interdisciplinary connections discussed throughout the semester are revisited and synthesized. Students evaluate the knowledge gained, the broader impact of current research trends in biological and biomedical engineering, and the importance of scientific communication in research practice. The session also provides an opportunity for feedback and evaluation of the seminar experience, promoting critical self-assessment and continuous improvement of the course.

Suggested Bibliography

• Alley, M. “The Craft of Scientific Presentations”, 2nd Edition, Springer, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-4419-8278-0
• Seminar materials and topic-specific bibliography distributed by individual speakers throughout the term (available via myCourses, McGill University’s learning management system).

Related academic journals:

Topic-specific journals are determined by individual seminar presenters and may include high-impact journals across biological and biomedical engineering, such as Nature Biomedical Engineering, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, and others depending on the term’s seminar topics.