Carnegie Mellon University: Keith Cook Named Head of Biomedical Engineering

After a rigorous and extensive search domestically and internationally, Keith Cook has been selected to be the next head of the Biomedical Engineering Department (BME) at Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering. The appointment takes effect immediately.

Keith Cook joined Carnegie Mellon as a faculty member in 2013 and has been an outstanding researcher, as well as a strong advocate to build and advance the department. He has demonstrated his leadership skills by serving as the founding director of the Bioengineered Organs Initiative, and more recently he has taken the lead to form the Transforming Transplant Initiative.

In addition, Cook previously held the position of associate department head for graduate education and has played an active role in mentoring and supporting faculty development over the years. Most recently, he served as the interim head of BME since last February, adeptly advancing department priorities and skillfully navigating the challenges of the pandemic.

The college community greatly appreciates the effort of the search committee members, and especially Peter Adams who served as the committee chair. The committee members included: Adam Feinberg, Mathew Smith, Elizabeth Wayne, Keri Baker, Maryia Rakach, Byron Yu, Conrad Zapanta, Jessica Zhang and Siyang Zheng, with Deb Scappatura providing administrative support.