Patricia Widder leads Washington University’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, an important component of CEMB’s education and recruitment efforts. In addition to her role for CEMB, Ms. Widder is the primary instructor in the undergraduate teaching labs in the Washington University Biomedical Engineering Department, and is Curriculum Director for the Master of Engineering in Biomedical Innovation degree program.
Ms. Widder teaches and develops lab courses in biomechanics, quantitative physiology, and thermodynamics, and provides prototyping support for the capstone biomedical engineering design classes. She also provides 3D printing support to the departmental research labs.
In the M.Eng-Biomedical Innovation program, Ms. Widder teaches the Engineering Skills and Biomedical Product Development course sequences. These courses cover prototyping, design, and development skills, and also cover intellectual property safeguards and similar topics.
Ms. Widder has worked to enhance the first-year engineering student experience, developing laboratory skill and career guidance content for introductory engineering courses.
Ms. Widder has received the Emerson Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2016, and has received the Department Chair’s Award for Outstanding Teaching several times. Prior to joining Washington University in St. Louis in 2011, she worked as an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer for Monsanto in Cincinnati, OH.