Corinna Lathan

Corinna Lathan

Title
Board Chair and CEO
Organization
AnthroTronix, Inc.
Location
MD
Corinna Lathan
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Biography

Dr. Corinna Lathan co-founded AnthroTronix in 1999 and is currently Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Lathan's diverse background includes extensive research, teaching, and consulting in the areas of human performance engineering, medical device design, and assistive technology. Previously, Dr. Lathan was an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at The Catholic University of America (CUA) and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Lathan is also Founder of AT KidSystems, a spinoff of ATinc, which distributes alternative computer interfaces and educational software. Her work with children with disabilities and robotics has been featured in Forbes, Time, and the New Yorker magazines as well as led to such distinctions as Maryland's "Top Innovator of the Year," MIT Technology Review Magazine's "Top 100 World Innovators,” and one of Fast Company Magazines “Most Creative People in Business.” She has also been named a Technology Pioneer and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and is currently on their Global Agenda Council for Robotics and Smart devices. Dr. Lathan is actively involved in educational outreach programs that empower women and minorities in science and technology. She is the Founder of Keys to Empowering Youth for junior high school girls, an advisor to the FIRST and VEX robotics program, and a Board Member of the National Black Child Development Institute. Dr. Lathan is also on the Board of Engineering World Health, which supports the emergence of healthcare technology in the developing world, and on the Advisory Board of Amman Imman - Water is Life. Dr. Lathan received her B.A. in Biopsychology and Mathematics from Swarthmore College, and an S.M. in Aeronautics and Astronautics and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from MIT.

Answers by Dr. Corinna Lathan
More Questions
Recently there was a career day at my school, i went into the function with 1 thing on my mind "i'm going to become a doctor" and left there with "what do i really want to become?''. I'm in the 9th grade, so this year i will pick my subjects to do for cxc. I researched and found that i could become biomedical engineer and later become a doctor, as a love science and math but i also love history and literature. I'm still not sure which branch of engineering i want to do or if i even want to do it all.

1) I would like to known how having a degree in biomedical engineering effects or betters an career as a doctor, as in will i have to start from scratch to become a doctor and some if the benefits of having a a degree in biomedical engineering, will i have to acqire additional cxc subjects as well as other information?

2) If i do become a biomedical engineer and then later decide to become a doctor which is the best field to go in that involves some aspects of biomedical engineering?

3) what is the difference between an electronic engineer and a electric engineer?

4) I love learning and discovering new things, as well as acquiring knowledge about stuff i did not know about before. I love to watch the history channel, discovery channel and AND national geographic channel. I like to draw but i can not draw very well.I love trying new things and what i'm asking is based on this information is engineering a good career for me to go into? If so suggest a field. If not what other careers might I be interested in?

1) Most programs in biomedical engineering have a pre-med track. Students from biomedical engineering have a very good chance of getting into Medical School because the schools appreciate students who also can understand the technology. Medicine involves a lot of technology these days! 2) Almost all areas of engineering involve some aspect of biomedical engineering. I believe that anytime you are working with technology that will directly be used by or on a human being, you are doing biomedical engineering. If you are interested in designing medical devices like heart monitors, that would be biomedical or electrical engineering as well as give you experience with the medical field. If you'd like to develop a prosthetic arm for a person with a disability, that could be biomedical or mechanical engineering. Robotics is a very big application of engineering that incorporates aspects of biomedical, electrical, and mechanical, and robotics can be used in medical as well as other disciplines. 3) Many schools call the degrees difference things. Electrical engineering is the most common term. If there is another term, you would need to talk to the school directly to find out what the difference is. 4) The great thing about engineering is that you would be welcome in any field once you have that degree. And you will be a better engineer because of your other interests. You may want to go to a college that encourages you to continue your interest in history, art, and other things.

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I am a high school student who is interested in being a biomedical engineer. I really am interested in it and I want to know what its like being a biomedical engineer. Do they mainly work in research departments? Where can you work with a degree in biomedical engineering?

Biomedical Engineers (BMEs) can do many many many different things. It depends on your specific education and interests. BMEs can work at universities, hospitals, companies, non-profits and lots of other places. BMEs can work with medical devices, microscopes and movements of cells, robots, computers, patients, astronauts, and more! The real answer to your question is what do you want to DO, not what do you want to BE. If you like technology and want to use technology to enable people do things they might not be able to do without it, then someone might call you a biomedical engineer!

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Hi! I have three questions.I'll be attending Virginia Tech next fall and I'm entering as a general engineering student. I want to eventually end up in biomedical engineering but I don't know which branch of engineering to get my BS in. I was reading about chemical engineering and the course work is extremely intimidating. Is chemical really as bad as I'm reading? I'm starting to second guess my decision.Second, is biomedical engineering related to animals in any way? I talked to a researcher at John's Hopkins and he told me that the biomed team just developed a new medicine for dogs and I was wondering if that was common?Finally, genetic engineering is another option I have, but I don't want to spend 10+ years in college. Is there any way I could still be a genetic engineer without a doctorate?I know this is a lot, but i appreciate your help!

Don't worry about labels! In general, it doesn't matter what your undergraduate engineering degree is called. I would go with whichever major has the best most interesting professors and volunteer to work in their lab! It is very likely you will need to get at least a master's degree for any of the areas you mentioned. That's the time that you may want to get a more focused degree -e.g. genetic engineering. But frankly, employers (like myself) don't care what your degree is in. I want to know what courses you took, what projects you worked on, and what your references say about you! Good luck!!