Tacker, Willis A.
Person
Biographical Information
Willis Tacker grew up in Wheeler, Texas. After high school, he studied Biology at Baylor University and continued at Baylor Medical School to earn his MD degree and PhD in Physiology and Biophysics. Tacker was part of the team invited to Purdue to start a Biomedical Engineering (BME) Program. In 1998, the Purdue BME Department was founded, which then led to the Hillenbrand Biomedical Engineering Center, which Tacker directed. He taught in the IU Medical School Program at Purdue as well as Purdue’s Veterinary School. Tacker helped found Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. He was invited to join the Association of Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
From childhood, Tacker wanted to be a doctor. He met his wife during med school. Following his internship at the Mayo Clinic, he joined the faculty of Baylor Medical School because he had a passion for teaching and research which focused on CPR and defibrillation of the heart. He organized at Purdue the first national conference on defibrillation. Tacker taught for the Weldon School at Purdue and served on the AAMI program committee, the board of directors, and also as AAMI president.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Willis A. Tacker papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 537
Content Description
Includes office working file folders alphabetized, publication files, Army files, PH-D dissertations, awards, and certificates related to the establishment of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue in the 1970s and subsequent development of Purdue BME. Also contains research data and photographs of people and of hearts.
Dates:
1966 - 2000