Katherine Ferrara Speaks at IEEE UFFC International Symposium Women in Engineering Luncheon

Katherine Ferrara, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis and Director of the Center for Content Rich Evaluation of Therapeutic Efficacy, was an invited speaker at the IEEE UFFC WIE luncheon and networking event at the International Ultrasonics Symposium in Taipei, Taiwan, on October 24, 2015.

Professor Katherine Ferrara presented a highlight presentation drawing from her career experiences in industry and academics. Professor Ferrarra’s inspiring and witty presentation showed how a dynamic career is built. Describing the career as a book with many chapters she encouraged participants to work at the edge of their capacities, to stay positive and to be intellectually fearless. Wisdom was offered about how the choices we make from day to day shape our long term achievement capacity. This included pointers about dealing with stress, valuing mentors, and paying attention to impact. Each general concept was backed up with solid advice such as the need to set aside at least an hour a day for writing, tackling easier tasks when tired and doing the homework to obtain objective data. The presentation was followed by animated discussion and networking at topic-flagged luncheon tables. The event very successfully provided a forum to open new perspectives, exchange with peers and develop professional ties.

Katherine Ferrara is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the IEEE, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the Acoustical Society of America and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. Her career includes experience as a project engineer for General Electric Medical Systems, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia and founding chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. The Ferrara Lab  is well known for its leading program in molecular imaging and drug delivery. Work presented by her group at the 2015 IUS and recently published1-3 includes methods for temperature measurement, MRI-based shear wave imaging and protocols combining ultrasound ablation with drug delivery to cure local cancers. Within a broad and interdisciplinary research program, Professor Ferrara maintains an important place for medical ultrasound and microbubble physics.