N.C. A&T’s Uitenham Named American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Fellow

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 27, 2021) – Leonard Uitenham, Ph.D., ATP, CFI, a retired professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows, AIMBE’s highest distinction.

Peers elected Uitenham for his work in founding the university’s bioengineering program in 2007, which was accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology – the first at a historically Black university. The bioengineering program was a critical commitment associated with North Carolina A&T’s National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials.

AIMBE inducted 174 fellows in the 2021 class. Fellows make up just 2% of all AIMBE members.

Uitenham said establishing the bioengineering program at A&T met a national need and provided a unique opportunity for the university to continue to expand its engineering portfolio.

“I think the bioengineering program at A&T addresses the national need for trained engineers who understand biology and can apply engineering principles to help solve problems in medicine and the health care system,” said Uitenham.

The institute AIMBE is known for merging engineering and medicine. Uitenham said the 2021 fellow class features clinicians, researchers and academicians who represent the larger medical industry, hospital workers and academic communities.

Uitenham is proud of A&T bioengineering faculty members’ various backgrounds in chemical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, mechanical engineering, and materials and polymers engineering. The program, much like AIMBE, brings a rich diversity of disciplines together to address society’s complex medical needs.

Uitenham is the second AIMBE fellow from A&T’s College of Engineering (COE). He joins Dean Robin N. Coger, Ph.D., who was inducted in 2010. 

“It’s incredible to be honored as an AIMBE fellow,” said Uitenham. “The distinction provides us with extra recognition, but it’s also an invitation for other universities to approach us about developing their own bioengineering programs.”

Uitenham has had an extensive career in service and education, serving 31 years in the Marine Corps and as a Naval aviator for 16 years. He is a Federal Aviation Administration licensed Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) and FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).

Uitenham consistently incorporated this practical experience throughout his teaching career in the classroom. He also served as a COE department chair during his time at A&T, and continues to teach courses for the departments of chemical, biological and bioengineering and of mechanical engineering.

AIMBE’s prestigious recognition of Uitenham’s contributions further underscores the tremendous impact A&T faculty members have on their respective fields and student learning.