Miguel Perez appointed head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
Bringing over 20 years of research experience and a focus on the student experience, Perez will build on the strengths of the department to expand its reach and impact.
Miguel Perez has been appointed head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, effective Sept. 10. An associate professor in the department, he currently serves as its associate head for research and graduate studies.
With 20 years of research experience in transportation safety and a focus on furthering the impact of biomedical engineering, Perez will take over a role held since September 2023 by University Distinguished Professor Stefan Duma.
“I am thrilled to welcome Miguel Perez to this new role,” said Julie Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering. “His years of research experience, leadership, and focus on student growth are vital to the success of the biomedical engineering and mechanics department. I look forward to working with Miguel to position the department for success in the years to come.”
Ross also spoke to the role that Duma, the Harry C. Wyatt Professor of Engineering, has played as interim department head over the past two years. “Stefan’s leadership and guidance have seen the department through a period of tremendous growth and transition, keeping the focus on continuous innovation, groundbreaking research, and student success.”
Part of the division of data and analytics at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Perez has been associated with nearly $80 million in research funding related to surface transportation safety. He has authored or co-authored more than 80 papers and technical reports on global crash prevention and mitigation, the human factors of driving, and post-crash response.
“My research attempts to ensure that people get to their destination safely when they walk, ride, or drive on our roads,” Perez said. “If a single person is more likely to make it to their destination unharmed because of the work I do, then I've made a meaningful contribution. Then, it is time to figure out ways to help the next person.”
His research projects have touched on driver distraction, human modeling, collision avoidance systems, infotainment systems, and driver performance in test track and naturalistic environments. He currently leads several efforts related to the efficient and effective collection and use of naturalistic driving study data that forecasts emerging crash risks. Along the way, Perez has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students who actively work to reduce the frequency and negative impact of traffic crashes.
During his time at Virginia Tech, Perez received several awards and honors from the department
- Golden Pen Award for contract awards over $5 million in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023
- Leader in Teaching Award in 2021
- Liviu Librescu Faculty Prize for research and educational achievement in 2021
Acknowledging the breadth of opportunities in the department as one of the program’s core strengths, Perez said, “I am eager to build on the amazing talents of our students and faculty, and the solid standing of all our research and academic partners. As a department, we need to expand our students' experience, strengthen our industry partnerships, and further the impact of research.”
Perez earned his Ph.D. in 2005 and master's degree in 1999, both in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech, and his bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Puerto Rico.
