Tech CEO: Dean Kamen on Innovation, Impact, and Reinventing Medicine

How do groundbreaking innovations in engineering and technology shape the future of health care, accessibility, and global education?

This was the focus of the latest installment of the Tech CEO Lecture Series at Columbia Engineering, featuring renowned inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen. Held Feb. 10 at Davis Auditorium on Columbia’s Morningside campus, the event brought together dozens of students, faculty, and industry partners for an engaging discussion on medical devices, robotics, and STEM education.

Best known for inventing the first wearable infusion pump, the iBOT® mobility system, the Segway human transporter, DARPA-funded prosthetic limbs and portable dialysis machines, Kamen, the founder and president of DEKA Research & Development, holds more than 6,000 patents. A passionate advocate for STEM education, Kamen also founded FIRST Robotics, a nonprofit that has impacted over 3.2 million young people in over 190 countries.

“Dean is one of the most passionate public voices for science and technology in the science community,” said Columbia Engineering Dean Shih-Fu Chang in his opening remarks. 

He added that Kamen’s vision and contributions align with Columbia’s mission of Engineering for Humanity—leveraging innovation to improve lives worldwide.

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Advancing healthcare through engineering

Throughout his talk, Kamen showcased some of DEKA’s most groundbreaking inventions, from home dialysis machines to robotic limbs for veterans. He emphasized how engineering plays a pivotal role in advancing healthcare and improving quality of life. Kamen explained that DEKA’s mission is to pioneer entirely new technologies rather than refine existing ones.

“More than most of you could get an engineering degree and think you could go out with a clean piece of paper and create something entirely new. That's very rare. But that's what we do at DEKA.”

Kamen highlighted DEKA’s new home hemodialysis system, which recently received FDA approval. “We were told we’d never get that through the FDA. It was simple, it was easy,” he said. “After only 10 years, it was another overnight success, and we got it through the FDA a few months ago, and we’re going to launch that product soon.”

Kamen also introduced a microneedle-based vaccine patch designed to revolutionize immunization. “You slap it on like a band-aid and it's self-administered,” he said. “We’re quite confident it’s going to be a crowd-pleaser.”

STEM education and the future of innovation

Beyond medical technology, Kamen is committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers. He shared how FIRST Robotics, the global competition he founded, has grown into an Olympics for technology., bringing together students from 190 countries.

“We had 136 countries show up in the First Global event,” Kamen said. “One team per country. We did it in the U.S.… Then we went to the Middle East.”

Kamen’s latest initiative, FIRST Global, includes one team from every country, from Team Afghanistan to Team Zimbabwe. It also includes Team Hope. “These kids grew up in a refugee camp in Syria,” he said. “These are kids that have no country, but they have hope.”

A call to action for Columbia Engineers

Following the lecture, Kamen held a Q&A session, sharing career advice, discussing sustainability in engineering, and emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. He also attended a lunch with select students and a tour of Associate Professor Matei Ciocarlie’s Robotic, Manipulation, and Mobility (ROAM) lab.

Kamen concluded his talk with a direct appeal to Columbia students. “We need the smartest people in the room to join us at DEKA, FIRST, and our research initiatives,” he said. “Whether you're an undergrad or a grad, we need you.”

Students who are interested in opportunities can email [email protected]. 

Lead Photo Description:  Dean Kamen during a lab tour at Columbia Engineering.

Credit: David Dini/Columbia Engineering