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The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., representing the most accomplished leaders, educators, and innovators in medical and biological engineering. Rather than operating as a conventional publishing house or individual subscription society, AIMBE functions as an umbrella policy institute and honorific organization uniting academic departments, scientific societies, and industry leaders.
In biomedical engineering research and administration, AIMBE serves as the primary national voice for bioengineering public policy on Capitol Hill, while its College of Fellows confers peer-elected recognition representing the top tier of the profession. For researchers and department chairs working across biomedical engineering, understanding AIMBE’s governance structure and election processes is essential for institutional advancement and national advocacy.
What It Is
AIMBE is an authoritative non-profit 501(c)(3) institute founded to advance medical and biological engineering for the benefit of society. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the institute coordinates federal advocacy, organizes congressional briefings, and promotes public understanding of transformative medical technologies.
Unlike open-enrollment professional bodies where membership requires only the payment of annual dues, AIMBE’s core individual tier—the College of Fellows—is strictly peer-elected. In addition to honorific fellowship, AIMBE coordinates institutional members across higher education, commercial biotechnology enterprises, and constituent scientific societies, establishing a unified national interface between engineering researchers and federal policymakers.
Who Runs It and What It Covers
AIMBE is governed by a Board of Directors, executive leadership, and full-time professional staff based in Washington, D.C. The institute’s operational footprint is organized into four distinct structural councils and several standing committees:
- College of Fellows: The honorific body consisting of almost 3,000 elected individuals who represent approximately the top 2% of the medical and biological engineering community across academia, clinical medicine, industry, and government.
- Academic Council: An institutional coalition representing 100 leading U.S. universities offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in biomedical engineering and bioengineering.
- Council of Societies: A coordinating body that links 12 major scientific organizations in medical and biological engineering, including partner societies such as IEEE EMBS and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
- Industry Council: A corporate leadership council connecting biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies with academic researchers and regulatory bodies.
- Public Policy and Advocacy Directorate: Coordinates congressional lunch briefings, the annual Capitol Hill Day, the AIMBE Public Policy Institute, and the Earl Bakken Lecture Series to educate federal lawmakers on research funding priorities.
The College of Fellows Nomination and Scoring Architecture
Election to the AIMBE College of Fellows is conducted annually through formal peer review. Candidates cannot apply directly or self-nominate; every candidate must be nominated by an active AIMBE Fellow and supported by secondary endorsers. Nominations are reviewed and scored out of a maximum of 100 points across two primary criteria:
| Evaluation Criteria | Maximum Score | Key Assessment Focus Areas | Documented Evidence Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criteria 1: Research, Pedagogy, and/or Practice | 70 Points | Pioneering new technical fields; breakthrough discoveries; engineering education innovation; technology translation and commercialization | Peer-reviewed publications, issued patents, clinical trial impact, commercial medical device deployment, educational curricula |
| Criteria 2: Professional Service, Advocacy, and Diversity | 30 Points | Professional society leadership; public policy engagement; legislative advocacy; advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) | Board service, conference organizing, Capitol Hill advocacy days, community public service, programs expanding access for underrepresented groups |
For international candidates—defined as researchers who have spent or will spend the majority of their career outside the United States—evaluations are conducted by a dedicated international review subcommittee. To maintain institutional balance, international inductees are capped at a maximum of 10% of any annual Fellows cohort, and nominees must demonstrate a verified connection to and impact on the U.S. biomedical engineering enterprise.
How to Search and Participate in AIMBE
Biomedical engineers, research administrators, and university department leaders interact with AIMBE through defined professional channels:
- Search the Fellow Directory: Locate recognized fellows, department leaders, and potential research collaborators by querying the online AIMBE Fellow Directory by name, institutional affiliation, class year, or engineering specialty.
- Identify Fellowship Nominators: Candidates seeking consideration for the College of Fellows must connect with active AIMBE Fellows who can prepare and submit a formal nomination packet during the annual nomination window.
- Assemble the 100-Point Dossier: Compile documentation demonstrating pioneering research, pedagogical advances, societal translation, and professional service aligned with the 70-point technical and 30-point service scoring rubric.
- Verify Translational Device Impact: When citing commercial products or clinical hardware contributions in Criteria 1, benchmark innovations against established regulatory pathways under medical device definitions.
- Align Research with Federal Data Mandates: Because AIMBE actively advocates for federal research agency funding, ensure institutional proposals comply with agency policies such as the NIH data management and sharing policy.
- Participate via the Academic Council: Biomedical engineering department chairs participate in national surveys, educational curriculum benchmarking, and academic policy initiatives organized through the 100-university Academic Council.
- Engage in Capitol Hill Advocacy: Fellows and student delegates participate in the AIMBE Public Policy Institute and annual Capitol Hill Days, directly briefing Members of Congress and federal agency staff on bioengineering appropriations.
Strengths and Limits
Understanding AIMBE’s specific organizational role helps researchers differentiate between honorific advocacy bodies and traditional publishing societies.
Strengths
- Premier Professional Recognition: Election to the College of Fellows is one of the highest distinctions in the discipline, restricted to approximately the top 2% of the bioengineering community.
- Direct Policy Access in Washington: With headquarters in Washington, D.C., AIMBE provides continuous, non-partisan advocacy for NIH, NSF, and FDA research appropriations.
- Inter-Institutional Coalition: Unites 100 academic departments and 12 member scientific societies under a single collaborative policy platform.
Limits
- No Primary Research Publishing Venue: Unlike IEEE EMBS or BMES, AIMBE does not publish flagship scientific journals or conference proceedings; its outputs are policy white papers and legislative briefs.
- No Direct Open Membership: Individual researchers cannot join AIMBE through standard membership registration; individual participation is restricted to elected fellows.
- Strict International Quota: International candidates face a competitive 10% cohort cap and must prove tangible impact on the U.S. research enterprise.
Alternatives
Biomedical engineering professionals engage with distinct organizations depending on whether their goal is scientific publishing, honorific recognition, or international networking:
| Organization | Primary Mission | Membership Eligibility | Publishing Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIMBE | Public policy advocacy, legislative education, and honorific fellowship | Elected fellows (top 2%), 100 academic departments, 12 member societies | Policy reports and legislative white papers (no archival research journal) |
| IEEE EMBS | Technical standards, conference proceedings, and archival journal publishing | Open individual membership (IEEE division add-on) | Flagship archival journals (IEEE TBME, IEEE TMI) and EMBC proceedings |
| Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) | Broad professional society covering biomedical research, education, and meetings | Open individual academic, clinical, and student membership | Annals of Biomedical Engineering (ABME), Cellular & Molecular Bioengineering |
| National Academy of Engineering (NAE) | National honorific academy advising the federal government across all engineering | Highly selective peer-elected membership across all engineering fields | National Academies consensus studies and technical reports |
FAQ
What does AIMBE stand for?
AIMBE stands for the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.
What percentage of bioengineers are elected to the AIMBE College of Fellows?
The AIMBE College of Fellows represents approximately the top 2% of the medical and biological engineering community, comprising nearly 3,000 elected leaders across academia, industry, clinical practice, and government.
Can an individual self-nominate for an AIMBE Fellowship?
No. Self-nominations are strictly prohibited under AIMBE bylaws. All candidates must be formally nominated by an active AIMBE Fellow and supported by secondary peer letters of endorsement.
Sources
- American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. “About AIMBE: Who We Are and Governance Structure.” https://aimbe.org/about-aimbe/. Read 2026-11-08.
- AIMBE College of Fellows. “About the College of Fellows and Directory Scope.” https://aimbe.org/college-of-fellows/about/. Read 2026-11-08.
- AIMBE College of Fellows. “Nominations & Election Process and 100-Point Scoring Rubric.” https://aimbe.org/college-of-fellows/nominations-election/. Read 2026-11-08.
- AIMBE Academic Council. “Academic Council Membership and Educational Scope.” https://aimbe.org/councils/academic-council/. Read 2026-11-08.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information / IEEE TBME. “Medical and Biological Engineering in the Next 20 Years: The Promise and the Challenges” (PMID 23715600, DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2013.2260757). Read 2026-11-08.
