SDSU Award Video
Professional recognition and career highlights.
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Professional profile
Karen May-Newman, Ph.D.
Professor of Mechanical Engineering · San Diego State University
Dr. Karen May-Newman is a cardiovascular bioengineer with more than 30 years of experience in cardiovascular biomechanics, mechanical circulatory support, and medical-device evaluation. Her research integrates experimental methods, advanced flow measurement, and computational modeling to investigate the interactions between cardiovascular devices and the native heart.
She has collaborated extensively with clinicians, medical-device manufacturers, and researchers to improve device design and performance. She currently serves as an FDA Scholar in Residence and participates in an ISO standards working group for mechanical circulatory support devices.
A Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society and recipient of the 2026 ASAIO Lifetime Achievement Award, she has held numerous scientific and academic leadership positions.
Experience & services
Technical Expertise & Consulting
Engineering insight across cardiovascular-device evaluation, physiological modeling, and clinical translation, integrating experimental investigation and computational analysis.
Mechanical Circulatory Support
LVAD performance, device–heart interactions, pump-speed modulation, and cardiovascular hemodynamics.
Experimental Cardiovascular Modeling
Physiologic mock circulatory loops, patient-specific models, 2-D and 3-D PIV, and Shake-the-Box tracking.
Computational Modeling & Validation
Cardiovascular fluid dynamics, digital twins, and computational verification and validation.
Cardiovascular Biomechanics
Heart-valve mechanics, tissue deformation, fluid–structure interactions, and altered cardiovascular loading.
Regulatory Science & Standards
FDA Scholar in Residence; participation in ISO mechanical circulatory support standards development.
Industry Collaboration
Dr. May-Newman has a longstanding record of collaboration with cardiovascular-device manufacturers, clinicians, and academic researchers, including industry-sponsored studies and experimental device evaluation.
She welcomes opportunities for technical consulting, collaborative research, and independent scientific evaluation in cardiovascular biomechanics and medical-device technology.
Professional contributions
Leadership & Recognition
Scientific leadership: Co-chair, 2025 BMES Annual Meeting; co-chair, 2017 Gordon Research Conference on Assisted Circulation; former ASAIO Board of Trustees member.
Academic leadership: Founding director of SDSU’s Bioengineering Program; former Mechanical Engineering Department Chair; Executive Director of STEM Teaching, Learning and Innovation.
Recognition: 2026 ASAIO Lifetime Achievement Award; Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (2023); San Diego Engineering Educator of the Year (2018).
Standards & regulatory engagement: FDA Scholar in Residence and ISO mechanical circulatory support working group participant.
Selected media
Videos & Interviews
ASAIO Lifetime Achievement Award
Video associated with the 2026 award; content to be confirmed.
View associated video ↗2025 BMES Annual Meeting
Welcome video; opening-night remarks recording still to be located.
View BMES page ↗Collaboration & Contact
For research collaboration or consulting inquiries, please contact Dr. May-Newman through San Diego State University. Contact details can be added here before publication.
Contact
Karen May-Newman, Ph.D.
Cardiovascular Bioengineering Laboratory
San Diego State University
Email: kmaynewm@sdsu.edu
Office: 619-594-5652