Stevens BME Senior Design Needs More Real-World Collaboration

Student argues program's restrictions limit innovation and preparation for future careers

Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:35am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a biomedical engineering tool or device such as a biosensor or prosthetic limb, repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the innovative possibilities of the field when freed from overly restrictive academic structures.A vibrant, pop art-inspired illustration celebrating the innovative potential of biomedical engineering when unshackled from restrictive academic constraints.Hoboken Today

A Stevens Institute of Technology biomedical engineering student argues that the university's BME senior design program is too restrictive, preventing valuable interdisciplinary collaboration and failing to prepare students for the realities of engineering in the real world. The student cites examples of more innovative senior design programs at other universities that encourage cross-disciplinary teamwork, allow students to pursue their own ideas, and provide more time and resources for iterative design.

Why it matters

The student's critique highlights how overly siloed academic programs can stifle the kind of creative problem-solving and diverse skillsets that are essential for success in today's fast-paced, interdisciplinary fields like biomedical engineering. Addressing these limitations could help Stevens better equip its BME students for the challenges they'll face in their future careers.

The details

The student argues that the Stevens BME senior design program restricts collaboration with other majors like mechanical engineering and computer science, under the belief that non-BME students would do all the work. However, the student contends this approach fails to recognize BME students' capabilities and the value of learning from peers in other disciplines. The program also requires students to spend their entire $500 budget in the first semester, preventing the iterative design process common in real-world engineering. Additionally, students are given a pre-approved list of project ideas rather than being encouraged to pursue their own passions, which the student says stifles innovation. In contrast, the student highlights more successful senior design models at schools like Johns Hopkins, the University of Illinois Chicago, Rutgers, and the University of Kentucky that foster interdisciplinary teamwork, flexible budgeting, and student-driven project selection.

  • The student recently completed the Stevens BME senior design program.

The players

Stevens Institute of Technology

A private research university located in Hoboken, New Jersey, known for its engineering and technology programs.

Johns Hopkins University

A private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, with one of the premier biomedical engineering programs in the country.

University of Illinois Chicago

A public research university in Chicago, Illinois, with a biomedical engineering department that allows for iterative purchasing and year-long project timelines.

Rutgers University

A public research university in New Jersey that has secured grant funding to support translational senior design projects in its biomedical engineering department.

University of Kentucky

A public research university in Lexington, Kentucky, that integrates design thinking courses throughout its four-year biomedical engineering curriculum.

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What’s next

The student hopes that by sharing this critique, the Stevens BME department will consider making changes to its senior design program to better prepare students for the realities of biomedical engineering in the real world.

The takeaway

This student's experience highlights how overly restrictive academic programs can limit the development of crucial skills like interdisciplinary collaboration, iterative design, and pursuing one's own innovative ideas - all of which are essential for success in fast-paced, complex fields like biomedical engineering. By learning from more forward-thinking senior design models at other universities, Stevens could enhance its BME program to better equip students for the challenges they'll face in their future careers.