Dr. Eric S. Hald joined Shantou University in 2018 as an instructional fellow from the University of Michigan. Since 2019, he has been Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Teaching for the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Shantou University. In addition to teaching and curriculum development responsibilities, his main research areas of interest are cell and tissue mechanics, cancer metastasis, biomedical engineering education and curriculum design. Dr. Hald is focused on promoting student-centered education and improving teaching methods in engineering classrooms across China, as well as growing the profession of biomedical engineering in China.

Education

Ph.D. – Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2016

B.S. – Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 2009

Work Experience

·    2019-present: Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Teaching, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University

·    2017-2019: Instructional Fellow and Program Coordinator, Departments of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan (Shantou University)

·    2010-2016: Research Assistant, Alford Lab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota

·    2010: Research Assistant, Barocas Research Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota

·    2010-2017: Private Tutor, Twin Cities, Minnesota

·    2007-2009: Undergraduate Researcher, Laboratory of Ocular Motor Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

·    2007: Undergraduate Researcher, Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF), Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Iowa State University

Research

Dr. Hald’s main research areas are cell and tissue mechanics, cancer metastasis, microfabrication/lab-on-a-chip technologies, ophthalmology, biomedical engineering education and curriculum design.

Current Projects

·    Mechanical interactions between adherent cells and extracellular matrix: from cell mechanobiology to medical applications in arterial tissue engineering and cancer metastasis

·    Role of extracellular interface geometries in durotaxis of fibroblasts

·    Characterization of cell type based on substrate stiffness impacts on persistence

·    Impacts of biomedical engineering curriculum structure and evidence-based pedagogical practices in Chinese and American classrooms

Publications

1. Yuan, X.-L., Chen, S.-L., Xu Y., Yao, Y., Liang, J.-J., Zhuang, X., Hald, E.S., and Ng, T.K., 2023. Green tea extract enhances retinal ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration in rats

with optic nerve injury. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

2. Ramo, N.L., Lin, M., Hald, E.S., and Huang-Saad, A., 2021. Synchronous vs. Asynchronous vs. Blended Remote Delivery of Introduction to Biomechanics Course. Biomedical Engineering Education 1, 61–66.

3. Ramo, N.L., Hald, E.S., Huang-Saad, A., and Fang, Q., 2020. Work in Progress: The

Development and Implementation of Self-reflection Participation Logs in an English-taught

Engineering Program in China. 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

4. Park, J.J., Chuang, Y-C., and Hald, E.S., 2018. Identifying key influencers of professional

identity development of Asian international STEM graduate students in the United States. AsiaPacific Education Researcher. 27(2): 145-154.

5. Hald, E.S., Timm, C.D., and Alford, P.W., 2016. Amyloid beta influences vascular smooth

muscle contractility and mechano-adaptation. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.

(*JBME Editors’ Choice 2016, Top Ten Paper)

6. Steucke, K.E., Tracy, P.V., Hald, E.S., Hall, J.L. and Alford, P.W., 2015. Vascular smooth

muscle cell functional contractility depends on extracellular mechanical properties. Journal of

Biomechanics. 48(12): 3044-3051.

7. Hald, E.S., Steucke, K.E., Reeves, J.A., Win, Z. and Alford, P.W., 2015. Microfluidic genipin

deposition technique for extended culture of micropatterned vascular muscular thin films. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 100: e52971.

8. Yang, D., Hertle, R.W., Zhu, M., Tai, Z., Hald E. and Kauffman, M., 2015. Effect of artificial

scotomas on open-loop disparity vergence eye movements. Optometry and Vision Science:

Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry. 92(1): 107-114.

9. Hald, E.S., Stoner, R.J. and Rollins, D.K., 2014. Determining juvenile cancer types from gene

expression using gene contribution and differential analysis. Journal of Medical Statistics and

Informatics. 2(1): 2.

10. Hald, E.S., Steucke, K.E., Reeves, J.A., Win, Z. and Alford, P.W., 2014. Long-term vascular

contractility assay using genipin-modified muscular thin films. Biofabrication. 6(4): 045005.

11. Win, Z., Vrla, G.D., Sevcik, E.N., Hald, E.S. and Alford, P.W., 2014. Smooth muscle

architecture within cell-dense vascular tissues influences function contractility. Integrative

Biology. 6(12): 1201-1210.

12. Hald, E.S. and Alford P.W., 2014. “Smooth muscle phenotype switching in blast traumatic brain

injury-induced cerebral vasospasm.” Translational Stroke Research. 5(3): 385-393.

13. Lake, S.P., Hald, E.S. and Barocas, V.H., 2011. Collagen-agarose co-gels as a model for

collagen-matrix interaction in soft tissues subjected to indentation. Journal of Biomedical

Materials Research Part A. 99(4): 507-515.

14. Hald, E.S., Hertle R.W. and Yang, D., 2011. Application of a digital head-posture measuring

system in children. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 151(1): 66-70.

15. Hald, E.S., Hertle R.W. and Yang, D., 2009. Development and validation of a digital head

posture measuring system. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 147(6): 1092-1100.

Teaching

1、Undergraduate Courses：

BME1101A – Biomedical Engineering; Linear Algebra; Introduction to Computing (MATLAB and C Programming); Fundamentals of Biomedicine; Introduction to Biomedical Design and Rapid Prototyping; Senior Thesis and Design; Senior Thesis supervisor; Introduction to Biomechanics (lecture and lab, University of Minnesota)

2、Postgraduate Courses:

Instructional Incubator (“Building a Tumor” and “Introduction to Neural Engineering and Modeling” module development and delivery, University of Michigan)

Positions in academic institutions or Professional Affiliations

·    Journal Reviewer: Translational Stroke Research, Biomedical Engineering Education, Asia Pacific Education Review
Abstract/Conference Paper Reviewer: American Society of Engineering Education BED Division, Engineering Graduate Symposium (College of Engineering, University of Michigan)

Honors and Awards

·    Shantou University First Class Course – BME1101A – 2021

·    Shantou University Golden Class Designee – BME1101A – 2020-2021

·    Li Ka Shing Foundation Instructional Fellowship – University of Michigan – 2017-2019

·    Journal of Biomechanical Engineering Editors’ Choice Paper – 2016

·    Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship – University of Minnesota – 2014-2015

·    Council of Graduate Students Travel Grant Award – University of Minnesota – 2014

·    Fight For Sight Summer Student Fellowship – Fight For Sight – 2008