Ashley Miles Honoured with 2025 BME Unsung Hero Award

The Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is proud to announce that Ashley Miles, Project Coordinator, has been named the recipient of the 2025 BME Unsung Hero Award. Established in 2024, this award celebrates the dedicated individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the success of our programs, research, and community. It recognizes administrative staff, research technicians, assistants, and other key team members whose contributions often go unseen but are vital to the Institute’s mission. 

Ashley’s recognition this year is demonstrated by her exceptional impact on the BME community. Garnering over 40% of all nominations, with strong endorsements from faculty, staff, and students, Ashley was praised for her professionalism, reliability, and unwavering commitment to excellence. As one nominator wrote: 

Without Ashley, BME would simply not function. She fully guides several faculty committees through the very formal processes for PTR, tenure review, promotion review, and cross-appointment review. Each of these comes with unique complexities and specific regulations that have to be closely adhered to; the faculty are completely reliant on Ashley to make sure we do.

Beyond her meticulous work on faculty processes, Ashley plays a pivotal role in student engagement and academic programming. She has been instrumental in supporting the BME1010/1011 Graduate Student Seminars and the Invited Speaker Series, ensuring smooth logistics and fostering a more engaging, student-centered learning experience. Her calm, solutions-focused approach and ability to anticipate challenges make her an indispensable member of the team. 

Ashley joined the Institute in September 2019 as Project Coordinator, bringing a unique and diverse background. Prior to her current role, she worked as a zookeeper at a local reptile zoo, caring for reptiles and amphibians. She also holds a Master’s degree in electro/neurophysiology, where she studied anoxia tolerance mechanisms in painted turtles. 

Since joining BME, Ashley has embraced continuous learning and innovation. She has streamlined administrative processes through tools like SharePoint, designed workflows that improve efficiency, and coordinated major initiatives such as the online Annual Activity system for faculty members. Her ability to manage complex projects while maintaining clear communication across diverse stakeholders has been critical to the Institute’s success.  

Reflecting on her role, Ashley shared in a previous interview: 

 The highlights of my role have been the continuous learning opportunities. Coming from a completely different background, it was a significant learning curve at first, but I’ve loved growing and adapting. Each new initiative brings fresh opportunities to learn and grow. 

Ashley joins the ranks of previous awardees, Elizabeth Chiu and Andrea Hung, who were recognized in 2024 for their contributions at the Translational Biology and Engineering Program (TBEP).  

Ashley exemplifies the spirit of the Unsung Hero Award. Her dedication, professionalism, and tireless support have strengthened our community and enabled our faculty and students to thrive. We are deeply grateful for everything she does behind the scenes to make BME successful.

Said Professor Milos Popovic, Director of the Institute.