In November 2022, USC Viterbi received one of the largest naming gifts ever to a department of biomedical engineering. Made possible by the Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering, the $35 million gift builds on the legacy of Alfred Mann, a former USC trustee and the founder of the Alfred E. Mann Institute at USC, who passed away in 2016. He developed and supported biomedical breakthroughs including a rechargeable pacemaker, insulin pumps and the artificial retina.

The now-renamed Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering is one of the oldest biomedical engineering departments in the country, born from advances in electrical and mechanical engineering and the realization that engineering innovation could be beneficial to the human body. It’s the first such program in California to offer bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees.

Here are six infographics that tell the tale of the naming gift, as well as the past, present and future of the department.