The biological applications of engineering, or bioengineering, is the topic of the 1997 Cornell Society of Engineers annual conference April 10-12 at Cornell.

Featuring Richard A. Hazleton, chairman and CEO of Dow Corning Corp., and Samuel Fleming, chairman and CEO of Decision Resources Inc., the conference "Frontiers in Bioengineering" will highlight research in the rapidly developing field. Featured will be speakers from the Cornell faculty and from industry.

Hazleton, the Dow chairman who arrived there in the midst of the silicone breast implant controversy, will give the keynote address, "Science, Public Policy and Ethics in Biomaterials," at a dinner beginning at 7:15 p.m. Friday in the Statler Hotel Terrace Restaurant. Hazleton has appeared frequently on national television and has testified before Congress on the silicone breast implant controversy.

The conference kicks off with a talk at 9:25 a.m. Friday, "The Commercial Impact of Biotechnology: What's in Store for the Next 10 Years," by Samuel Fleming (Chem. Eng. '62), chairman and CEO of Decision Resources Inc. His firm, formerly a subsidiary of Arthur D. Little Inc., provides international market forecasting and evaluation for health care, information technology and process industries. His company now has offices on three continents, with more than 500 clients worldwide.

"Bioengineering is the next great frontier for engineers. Increasingly, biological systems are being used to produce new materials and engineers are learning how to intevene in biological processes," said Karl Miller, (Elec. Eng. '64), conference co-chair.

The conference features workshops on the biotechnology industry and financing and will feature research presentations by Cornell faculty working in bioengineering-related projects. Tours of Cornell engineering research centers and laboratories also will be available. The program is sponsored by the College of Engineering and the Cornell Society of Engineers.

Preconference proceedings begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10, with an engineering manufacturing seminar in 155 Olin Hall and a seminar by David Fischell, ('75 EP,'80 Ph.D.), founder and executive vice president of Isostent Inc., called "Bringing Innovation to Market: Experiences and Challenges of a Biomedical Device Entrepreneur."

Friday's events begin at 9:15 a.m. with sessions in the fourth floor computer training room in Rhodes Hall.

From noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, John Hopcroft, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering, will give a luncheon status report, "Educational and Research Program in the College of Engineering," followed by a talk on "Bioengineering at Cornell" by Michael Shuler, the Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering and director of Cornell's Bioengineering Program, both in the Biotechnology Building.

Faculty presentations are scheduled from 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. Friday in Room 101 of Phillips Hall. Laboratory demonstrations, including a virtual-reality presentation of biological applications of visual simulation, will be from 4 to 5 p.m.

Saturday's program features a panel discussion, at 9:15 a.m. in Room 101 of Phillips Hall on "Biomedical Ethics and Morals." The panel, chaired by Larry Palmer, Cornell professor of law, will examine such ethical issues as who should get treatment, who should pay, cost/benefit analyses, quality of life, animal research, licensing, malpractice, liability, confidentiality and suicide assistance devices.

Also Saturday, graduate and undergraduate student research projects in bioengineering will be on display from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For registration information, contact Jeanne Subialka, conference registrar, at (607) 255-9920, or <jms20@cornell.edu>. Information and a registration form also are available on the World Wide Web at . Registration is $99 and includes all sessions and meals. The fee for Cornell faculty, staff and students is waived, although meals are extra.

Here are some conference highlights:

Thursday, April 10

• 4:30 - William G. Ohaus '49 Memorial Manufacturing Engineering Seminar: 155 Olin Hall
• 5:30 p.m.- David Fischell, '75 EP, '80 PhD, founder & exec vp, Isostent Inc. "Bringing Innovation to Market: Experiences and Challenges of a Biomedical Device Entrepreneur"
• 6:30 - Reception and Dinner, "Entrepreneur of the Year" celebration event.
• 9:30 p.m. (optional event added to conference $50 extra Contact 607 254-2802 or dlm8@cornell.edu)
• President & Mrs. Rawlings are host of celebration honoring Linda Mason '76 AB

Friday, April 11

• 9:15 a.m. Morning Sessions: 4th Floor Computer Training Room of Rhodes Hall
• Welcome, Joe McAfee '63 ME, president, CSE
• Introductory Remarks, Karl Miller '64 EE, conference chair
• 9:25 - 10:15 a.m.
• "The Commercial Impact of Biotechnology. What's in Store for the Next 10 Years" Samuel Fleming, '62 ChemE, chairman & CEO, Decision Resources Inc.
• 10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
• Panel: "The Bio Business: Three Tales from the Real World"
• "Getting off the Ground: Financing In the Bio Industry" George Holbrook '52, BME '53, director, Thoratec Laboratories and Autogenics and venture financier
• "Bringing Research to Market: Synthetic Taxol," Bobby Bringi, PhD '91, ChE, v.p. technology, Phyton Catalytic Inc.
• "Manufacturing in the Bio Business: Guerilla Product Development," Jack Boehringer '52 BME '53 CEO, Boehringer Laboratories.
• 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Luncheon, Biotechnology Building
• Bioengineering at Cornell, John Hopcroft, the Joseph Silbert Dean, College of Engineering
• Educational & Research Program Status Report, Professor Michael Shuler, Samuel B. Eckert professor of chemical engineering, director bioengineering program.
• 1:45-3:25 p.m. Cornell Faculty Presentations on Bioengineering, Phillips 101
• 1:45-2:15 p.m. "New Methods of Delivering Medications," Mark Saltzman, School of Chemical Engineering
• 2:15-2:45 p.m. "Surrogate Animals for Biomedical Research," Mike Shuler, the Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering, director, Bioengineering Program.
• 2:45-3:15p.m. "Micro Machined Sensors for Bioengineering," Harold Craighead, '80 PhD.
• 3:15-3:45 p.m. "Joint Replacement Analysis and Design: Building a New Body," Don Bartel, Upson Hall.
• 4-5 p.m. Laboratory Demonstrations; Tours; Research in Action -- ongoing demonstrations and presentations.
• "Spiders: Nature's Engineers" Lynn Jelinski, Cornell Nanofabrication Facility:
• Virtual Reality: Biological Applications of Visual Simulation. Room 653, Frank H.T. Rhodes Hall. Richard Gillian will provide a hands-on experience in using a new visualization facility to build a new drug.
• Presentations at 4, 4:30 and 5 p.m.
• 6:30-7:15 p.m. Reception: Statler Hotel Terrace Lounge & Restaurant
• 7:15-9:00 p.m. Dinner, Statler Hotel Terrace Restaurant. Richard A. Hazleton, chairman & CEO, Dow Corning Corp. "Science, Public Policy & Ethics in BioMaterials"

Saturday, April 12

• 9:15 - 10:45 a.m.Panel Discussion: "BioMedical Ethics and Morals," Phillips 101 (who should get treatment, who should pay, cost/benefit, quality of life, animal rights, licensing, malpractice, who is liable, engineers' liability, security, confidentiality, suicide assistance devices)
• Panel Chair - Larry I. Palmer, Professor of Law
• Panel Members:
• Rich Newman, '68 ME, VP Advanced Technologies, Welch Allyn.
• Michael I. Wolfson, '63 BChE '64, LLB '67, attorney with Cowan , Liebowitz & Latman
• Dr. Fred Quimby, professor and director of the Center for Animal Research
• Richard Hazleton, Chairman & CEO, Dow Corning Corp.
• 11:00 a.m- Student Projects/Poster Session, Bioengineering Research at Cornell