Bizios elected to the prestigious Academy of Athens

MARCH 5, 2020 – Rena Bizios, the Lutcher Brown Chair Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UTSA, was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Athens, Greece on Feb. 20.

In ancient Greece the academy was established by Plato, the student of Socrates. In modern Greece the Academy of Athens was established in 1926 to promote the advancement of natural sciences, letters and arts, and moral and political sciences.

The Academy of Athens is a member of the International Association of Academies and of the International Council of Scientific Unions. Election and membership in this academy—the only national academy in Greece—is the most prestigious recognition scientists, engineers, intellectuals and artists can attain in that country.

This honor recognizes Bizios’ pioneer endeavors and accomplishments in biomedical research; her contributions to biomedical engineering education, training, advising and mentoring the next generations of scientists and engineers; and service to several professional scientific and engineering societies.

Bizios’ research includes cellular bioengineering, interactions of tissues with biomaterials (including nanostructured biomaterials), the effects of select biophysical stimuli on tissue regeneration, tissue engineering and biocompatibility.

Bizios, a chemical and biomedical engineer by training, pursued a career in academia. She has taught various undergraduate and graduate fundamental engineering and biomedical engineering courses as well as developed new courses for biomedical engineering curricula.

She coauthored a textbook, coedited a book, authored/coauthored scientific publications and book chapters, and is coinventor of several patents and disclosures. She has given numerous presentations at scientific conferences and invited seminars and lectures in academic institutions and industry. She has also organized and/or cochaired numerous symposia and sessions at regional, national and international conferences.

To date, Bizios’ contributions to education and her research accomplishments have been recognized by the Rensselaer Alumni Association Teaching Award; Clemson Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Literature by the Society for Biomaterials; Distinguished Scientist Award by the Houston Society for Engineering in Medicine and Biology; Women’s Initiatives Mentorship Excellence Award by The American Institute of Chemical Engineers; Founders Award by the Society for Biomaterials; Theo C. Pilkington Outstanding Educator Award by the Biomedical Engineering Division of the American Society for Engineering Education; Amber Award, by The UTSA Ambassadors of the University of Texas at San Antonio; election as Charter Member of the Academy of Distinguished Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio; the AIMBE Excellence in STEM Education Award by the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering; and the Excellence in Biomaterials Science Award by the Surfaces in Biomaterials Foundation.

Bizios is a fellow of five professional societies: the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

She is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine; the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texa; the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering; and of the National Academy of Inventors.

— Julie Paulson