Karen Troy Named Department Head of Biomedical Engineering

The following message was sent from John McNeill, Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering.

It’s my pleasure to announce that the new head of WPI’s Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is Karen Troy, an accomplished scholar and teacher in the area of musculoskeletal biomechanics, particularly clinical applications of quantitative imaging and computational modeling. Professor Troy’s term as department head, which begins July 1, 2025, follows that of Kris Billiar, who has led the BME department since 2015. 

Karen earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 1999, and her PhD from the University of Iowa in 2003. She joined WPI in August 2013 as an assistant professor after starting her career at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research investigates how mechanical signals that are experienced within the skeleton during different types of physical activity lead to injury or adaptation. She is also an expert in noninvasive methods for assessing bone strength and structure. Details can be found on the website for her research group, the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory.

Karen has won several awards, including the 2024 WPI Board of Trustees Chair’s Exemplary Faculty Prize, the 2023 Adele Boskey Award from the Orthopaedic Research Society, and has twice been awarded the Clinical Biomechanics Award from the American Society of Biomechanics. In 2024, she was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows, one of the highest honors in medical and biological engineering, for her leadership, mentorship of diverse new scientists, and contributions to advancing clinical applications of quantitative imaging and computational modeling.

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