Banu Onaral It is with great sadness that I am announcing the passing of our dear colleague and friend Banu Onaral on December 18, 2024.
Dr. Onaral and I had some sort of parallel lives. We met in the US, more than forty years ago, thanks to the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS). We both studied the field of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and received our Masters and Doctoral degrees in the same years but in different parts of the world. She came from Turkey and I from Uruguay. Because of our BME background and being from the same generation we met frequently at conferences. We also worked together. In Joseph D. Bronzino’s “The Biomedical Engineering Handbook” (2006 by CRC Taylor & Francis) she was the editor of section I: Biomedical Signal Analysis, while I was the editor of section IV: Medical Informatics. In 2017, prior to do a distinguished lecture at Yeditepe University, she invited me to participate in mentoring a selected group of students and then participate in the TAF Network Gala Dinner at Medipol University with leaders of the Turkish S&T community. Our table included Dr. Davut Kavranoğlu who at that time was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of Turkey and responsible for Science, Technology, Higher Education and Industry policies.
In November 2022, the IEEE Society for Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) held its flagship conference the International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) 2022 in Hong Kong. SSIT was celebrating its 50th anniversary and I organized and moderated a special closing session to discuss the past, present and future of technology and society. We had three invited guests: Prof. Cecilia Metra, of University of Bologna and former President of the IEEE Computer Society, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, an industry veteran, entrepreneur and educator and former President IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society, and Prof. Banu Onaral of Drexel University and former President of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.
To honor Dr. Onaral for her contributions to Technology and Society I am including here the 1.5-hour closing session where many topics were discussed including: Intelligence, the Age of the Mind, Responsible Technology, Fully Autonomous Systems, High Performance Computers and Communications, Semiconductors, Roadmaps, Human Vulnerabilities, etc.
IEEESSIT_50Years_SpecialValedictory.mp4
Banu Onaral was the H. H. Sun Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 and joined the faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Biomedical Engineering and Science Institute at Drexel University in 1981. She served as the Founding Dean of the School of Biomedical Engineering Science and Health Systems since its creation in 1997 to 2014. She currently led the ‘Global Innovation Partnerships’ initiative as Senior Presidential Advisor at Drexel University.
- Academic Focus and Leadership
Her academic focus both in research and teaching was centered on information engineering with special emphasis on complex systems, biomedical signal processing in ultrasound and optics and functional optical brain imaging. She has led major research and development projects sponsored and supervised large numbers of graduate students to degree completion and has an extensive publication record in biomedical signals and systems. She founded several laboratories throughout her career: the most recent is the CONQUER (Cognitive Neuroengineering and Quantitative Experimental Research) CollabOrative, an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional and international brain function observatory dedicated to the study of brain activation, development and deployment of functional optical brain imaging technologies in human-system integration and performance, healthcare, mental health and learning with research and development partners in US and overseas.
- National Honors, Awards and Services
She was the recipient of a number of faculty excellence awards including the NSF Faculty Achievement Award. She was a Fellow of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and a Founding Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). She served on the inaugural Board of the AIMBE as publications chair and as Chair of the Academic Council. Dr. Onaral’s professional services include chair and membership on editorial and advisory boards and strategic planning bodies of several universities and funding agencies. She served as President of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS), the largest member-based biomedical engineering society in the world.
- Translational Research and Health Innovations Leadership – University
Dr. Onaral’s translational research efforts for rapid commercialization of biomedical technologies developed brings together academic technology developers with entrepreneurs, regional economic development agencies, local legal, business and investment communities. Under her leadership, the program has been awarded the Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership Endowment.
- Global Academic and Innovation Partnerships
She has actively forged international academic and innovation partnerships with institutions, with primary focus in China and Turkey. In 2000, she led the first Eisenhower Foundation sponsored delegation of biomedical engineers to China, organized international conferences and facilitated the development of the dual-doctoral degree in Neuroengineering with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. She also participated in initiation of the Drexel-Shanghai Advanced Research Institute (SARI) Center and the launch of Shanghai Tech University. She served as an advisor to Shanghai and Changzhou based biomedical technology development enterprises.
Among her many services in building bridges between US and Turkey, she served as a member of the Sabancı University Board of Trustees and President of the Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association. She continued to forge academic, R&D and innovation partnerships and to contribute as an international advisor for strategic and global partnerships at technology and innovation hubs under development in Turkey including Teknopark Istanbul and Teknopark Ankara. She has been recognized by the Turkish University-Industry Collaboration Platform (USIMP) Accomplishment Award in 2014 and as one of the 30 Most Influential Turkish American Women in USA by TeamOfAmerica in 2015.
Professor Banu Onaral received the 2023 TUSEB Special Award for her work in the fields of functional brain imaging and in recognition of major national and global initiatives that she spearheaded. At the ninth Turkish Medical World Congress held this year, Professor Banu Onaral was awarded the TÜSEB Special Award, which were presented to distinguished scientists in the field of health science and technologies in Turkey. The prize was presented in honor of the first Turkish Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Aziz Sancar at the Centennial Anniversary of the Turkish Republic. The Health Institutes of Turkiye (TUSEB)’s purpose is to advance technology and innovation in the field of health science and technologies in Turkey.
An outstanding thinker and professional, Dr. Onaral was an exceptional human and a marvelous friend. She will be sorely missed. Our condolences to her family and loved ones. May her soul rest in peace.
–Luis Kun, 2023-2024 IEEE SSIT President
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