Walt Besio

Expertise: electroencephalography (EEG), epilepsy, brain computer interface (BCI), electrodes, neuromodulation, electrical stimulation

Dr. Besio is a Professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rhode Island (URI). Dr. Besio received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in biomedical engineering from the University of Miami and a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Besio worked 12+ years in the biomedical device and electronics industries. Dr. Besio specializes in research to develop innovative biomedical instrumentation for diagnosis and therapies for enhancing the lives of persons with neurological disease and disability. This work involves unique patented concentric electrodes for neuromodulation and brain computer interfacing (bidirectional). Dr. Besio is a co-founder of the URI Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program that spawned the new Ryan Institute for Neuroscience with a gift. He is an Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Senior Member, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) (representative to TBioCAS and BioCAS, past EMBS Sensors Council representative, past Vice President of Finance, past North American Administrative Committee Member, past Wearable Biomedical Sensors and Systems Technical Committee Chair, past Chair Providence Chapter, and Faculty Advisor URI Student Chapter), and an active member of the American Epilepsy Society (Technical Committee). Dr. Besio has also developed intellectual property that forms the basis for his medical device startup company CREmedical Corporation. Dr. Besio is passionate about moving his research beyond the laboratory to help relieve disease, disability, pain, and suffering.