National Institute Honors UAlbany Dean for Excellence in Engineering Education
ALBANY, N.Y. (April 20, 2026) — Michele Grimm, dean of the College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at Albany, has earned a professional impact award from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
AIMBE bestows four such awards, and Grimm earned the one for education on the strength of her “visionary, long-standing, national leadership advancing biomedical engineering education and beyond, championing faculty mentoring and fostering pathways that empower future innovators through inclusive academic and professional excellence.”
Grimm, who has led CNSE since 2022, holds both a PhD and master’s in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering and engineering mechanics from Johns Hopkins University. She was elected as an AIMBE fellow in 2018.
As dean of CNSE, she oversees more than 1,270 students and 75 faculty members who conduct research supported by more than $15 million in annual spending. Its five departments offer 20 undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering and computer science, including new offerings in Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering.
‘Leader who listens’
Two UAlbany professors nominated Grimm for her award: Yubing Xie of the CNSE’s Department of Nanoscale Science & Engineering and Melinda Larsen of the Department of Biological Sciences at the College of Arts and Sciences. Xie also serves as CNSE’s associate dean for inclusive excellence, and Larsen, as chair of her department. Each is also an AIMBE fellow.
“Dean Grimm leads by example,” they wrote in their nomination. “She models inclusive leadership through transparency, collaboration and respect for diverse perspectives. Colleagues consistently describe her as a leader who listens, values input and creates environments where all voices are heard.”
They added that “her mentorship of junior faculty — particularly women and scholars from underrepresented groups — has been transformative, providing guidance, advocacy and sponsorship that enables them to succeed in competitive academic environments. Many of her mentees now hold leadership roles themselves — a testament to her lasting impact.”
They also noted that Grimm has been “instrumental in developing curricula that integrate real-world applications with social responsibility, ensuring that students not only master technical skills but also understand the ethical and societal implications of their work.”
Five honorees
Grimm, who continues to teach as dean and previously taught mechanical engineering at Michigan State University and biomedical and mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, received her award at the annual AIMBE banquet in Washington, D.C.
The dean was among just five honorees this year, including a UAlbany alumnus: David Kaplan of Tufts University.
Kaplan earned the Pierre Galletti Award — AIMBE’s highest honor — for his work in silk-based biomaterials, his translational impact on biomedical sciences and his advocacy for bioengineers in human health. The award recognizes breakthrough research or translational work and sustained service to the medical and biological engineering community.
Kaplan holds a bachelor’s in biology from UAlbany. Learn more about the awards here and about AIMBE — which represents the top 2% of biomedical engineers in the U.S. — here.