Dr. Griffin joined the faculty at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1997.  He has served as Chair of the Biomedical and Engineering Department since 2008, while still pursuing research projects that have provided positive learning outcomes for students, innovative outcomes for medical practice, and opportunities for collaboration with students and faculty across disciplines.

Griffin helped establish the Biomedical Engineering Program at Cal Poly, and he has garnered $1.35 million dollars in funding for his own research. Griffin's articles are widely cited, and his expertise allows him to advance the frontiers of research by serving as a technical reviewer for NIH and DARPA. 

Griffin's research and teaching are highly complementary. In supervising over 70 senior projects and master's theses, he has provided opportunities for students to engage in real-world research, and student work has resulted in numerous publications and conference presentations.

​The Distinguished Scholarship Award is the most prestigious award for scholarly and creative activity at CPSLO, with two annual awards.