Craig Simmons, professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering, has played a significant role in shaping biomedical engineering education at the University of Toronto and across Canada through his dedication to experiential learning, both in the classroom and in the lab.
In 2012, Simmons led an overhaul of U of T’s biomedical systems engineering curriculum to bring it up to date with current science and technologies and provide greater opportunities for undergraduate students to get hands-on lab experience. As part of this effort, he developed new laboratories to enhance his fourth-year Cell and Tissue Biomechanics course, which applies engineering principles to study cell and tissue behaviour. This course is often the first time students are working with real cells and tissues rather than computer simulations, allowing them to better understand the theory behind the science. Simmons also introduced a major group project that asks students to apply their engineering knowledge to solve open-ended biology and medical problems.
As Director of U of T’s Translational Biology & Engineering Program (TBEP), an interdisciplinary research and training program for undergraduate and graduate students working on problems at the intersection of medicine and engineering, Simmons co-founded Entrepreneurship for Cardiovascular Health Opportunities (ECHO), a year-long boot camp for students interested in commercialization of cardiac health innovations. The program culminates in a pitch competition where the winner receives significant funding to help launch their company.
Simmons has also created experiential learning opportunities for over 200 undergraduate and graduate students through U of T’s TRANSFORM HF Strategic Initiative and the NSERC-funded CaRDM Eq training program, which offer hands-on training beyond the classroom and focuses on user-centred design of digital tools that improve equitable access to healthcare, such as smartphone apps and wearables. Participating students collaborate with end-user communities to better understand their needs, an opportunity not afforded by the regular engineering curriculum. “It’s a bit of a mind shift in how you have to be an engineer. But the students we get are incredible. They're all in. They really embrace it,” says Simmons.
Mentorship is a keystone of Simmons’ approach to education. He frequently seeks out opportunities to provide students and aspiring faculty members with professional development and relevant experience. “I love that mentorship can have immediate impact and help shape someone's career and enable them.”
