WPI Biomedical Engineering’s Dr. Kristen Billiar Named Fellow of the American Heart Association
September 2025, by Victoria Yakes '27 The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Department of Biomedical Engineering celebrates Professor Kristen Billiar, Ph.D., on his election as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) by the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS). The FAHA designation honors premium professional members of the AHA who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and sustained contribution in the areas of scholarship, education, and volunteer service. Billiar joined the WPI faculty in 2002 after receiving his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and working as a staff engineer. Previously named John Woodman Higgens Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the former Head of the WPI Department of Biomedical Engineering, Billiar now focuses on education and student engagement. He currently teaches biomechanics courses at all levels, sharing his passion for biology and engineering with students. Beyond the classroom, Prof. Billiar leads the Tissue Mechanics and Mechanobiology laboratory at WPI, which strives to understand how mechanical forces affect the body’s soft tissue cells. During exercise, the soft tissues of the body are subjected to forces from adjacent muscles, blood vessels, and digestive organs. Understanding how cells interpret these forces will aid in the development of treatments for a multitude of diseases, including cardiovascular disease. The Billiar laboratory embodies a strong commitment to hands-on learning and research excellence. The laboratory hosts dedicated doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students, offering meaningful research and development opportunities at every academic level. Together, the lab pushes the boundaries of scientific innovation, uncovering new insights into the mechanics of the body and paving the way for biomedical breakthroughs such as developing functional microtissue models, studying heart valve cell mechanics, and modifying microfluidic devices. Professor Billiar’s election as a fellow not only reflects his individual achievements but also highlights his dedication to the quality work conducted at WPI in the fields of cardiovascular science, biomechanics, and biomedical engineering education.
September 2025, by Victoria Yakes '27
The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Department of Biomedical Engineering celebrates Professor Kristen Billiar, Ph.D., on his election as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) by the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS).
The FAHA designation honors premium professional members of the AHA who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and sustained contribution in the areas of scholarship, education, and volunteer service.
Billiar joined the WPI faculty in 2002 after receiving his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and working as a staff engineer. Previously named John Woodman Higgens Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the former Head of the WPI Department of Biomedical Engineering, Billiar now focuses on education and student engagement. He currently teaches biomechanics courses at all levels, sharing his passion for biology and engineering with students. Beyond the classroom, Prof. Billiar leads the Tissue Mechanics and Mechanobiology laboratory at WPI, which strives to understand how mechanical forces affect the body’s soft tissue cells. During exercise, the soft tissues of the body are subjected to forces from adjacent muscles, blood vessels, and digestive organs. Understanding how cells interpret these forces will aid in the development of treatments for a multitude of diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
The Billiar laboratory embodies a strong commitment to hands-on learning and research excellence. The laboratory hosts dedicated doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students, offering meaningful research and development opportunities at every academic level. Together, the lab pushes the boundaries of scientific innovation, uncovering new insights into the mechanics of the body and paving the way for biomedical breakthroughs such as developing functional microtissue models, studying heart valve cell mechanics, and modifying microfluidic devices.
Professor Billiar’s election as a fellow not only reflects his individual achievements but also highlights his dedication to the quality work conducted at WPI in the fields of cardiovascular science, biomechanics, and biomedical engineering education.
Latest Announcements - Talent & Inclusion
- Staff Council Update September 2025Welcome Back to a New Academic Year! We hope you had the opportunity to rest, relax, and recharge over the summer. As we are in the full swing of A-Term, we’re excited to share some updates from the Staff Council. Reflecting on Our Journey So Far Last year was a big year for Staff Council, we feel like we really found our groove. After spending time getting established, we focused on making sure staff voices are heard and pushing for changes that matter to staff. We're excited to share some highlights from our year-end report, like the wins from our PTO Task Force, getting more staff involved in campus-wide decisions, and hosting events that brought people together, from all-staff meetings to listening sessions where we could hear what's really on everyone's mind. Check out our full end of year report to see what we accomplished together. Thank You to Our Departing Members As we move into our fourth year, we want to express our sincere gratitude to the five dedicated members whose two-year terms have come to an end. Thank you for your invaluable contributions: Lusine Baghsarian, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Nicole Caligiuri, Research Pat Howe, School of Engineering Alesia Lesane, Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education Nicole Luiz, Campus Planning & Facilities Elena Morganelli, Undergrad Enrollment Looking Ahead We’re excited for what lies ahead, guided by our strategic plan, we remain committed to ensuring that staff voices are heard. Your feedback over the past 18 months has been instrumental in shaping our direction—please continue to share your thoughts! Save the Dates All-Staff Meetings: If you have ideas for topics you would like to hear about at our all-staff meetings, please reach out to let us know. October 14th 9:00–10:30 AM | Olin 107 December 16th 9:00–10:30 AM | Olin 107 March 10th, 2026, 9:00–10:30 AM | Olin 107 May 19th, 2026, 2:00–3:00 PM | Odeum Special Events: November 24th, 2025, 2:00–4:00 PM | Harvest of Thanks | Odeum April TBD Staff Award Ceremony | Odeum May 19th, 2026, 3:00–4:00 PM | End of Year Social | Odeum Meet Our New Members We’re pleased to introduce seven new members to the Staff Council: Elizabeth Chirico, Advancement, Jaime Dillon, Student Affairs, Matt Foster, Student Affairs, Stanley Horton, Talent & Inclusion, Shawn Needham, Marketing & Communications, Jessica Sabourin, Undergraduate Enrollment, Carrie West, School of Arts & Sciences Meet Our Executive Committee Mike Hamilton, Chair; Sarah Miles, Vice-Chair; Caitlin Neer, Secretary; Lauren Martunas, Treasurer; and Stacey Happy, Public Relations Meet Our Committee Leadership Amy Curran, Feedback; Matt Foster, Engagement; Elizabeth Jacoby, Recognition; and Jaime Dillon, FBC Vice-Chair Your input is crucial—feel free to reach out to any Staff Council member, fill out our feedback form, recognize a fellow staff member with a Goat Note, or email us at staffcouncil@wpi.edu. Have a great rest of your week! Mike Hamilton, Staff Council Chair, on behalf of Staff Council
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