Biological systems engineering

Last updated
Products of biological systems engineering Applications of combinatorial gene circuit optimization strategies.svg
Products of biological systems engineering
Some biological molecular machines Molecular Machines of Life.jpg
Some biological molecular machines

Biological systems engineering or biosystems engineering is a broad-based engineering discipline with particular emphasis on non-medical biology. It can be thought of as a subset of the broader notion of biological engineering or bio-technology though not in the respects that pertain to biomedical engineering as biosystems engineering tends to focus less on medical applications than on agriculture, ecosystems, and food science. The discipline focuses broadly on environmentally sound and sustainable engineering solutions to meet societies' ecologically related needs. Biosystems engineering integrates the expertise of fundamental engineering fields with expertise from non-engineering disciplines.

Contents

Background and organization

Many college and university biological engineering departments have a history of being grounded in agricultural engineering and have only in the past two decades or so changed their names to reflect the movement towards more diverse biological based engineering programs. [1] [2] This major is sometimes called agricultural and biological engineering, biological and environmental engineering, etc., in different universities, generally reflecting interests of local employment opportunities.

Since biological engineering covers a wide spectrum, many departments now offer specialization options. Depending on the department and the specialization options offered within each program, curricula may overlap with other related fields. There are a number of different titles for BSE-related departments at various universities. The professional societies commonly associated with many Biological Engineering programs include the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) [3] and the Institute of Biological Engineering (IBE), [4] which generally encompasses BSE. Some program also participate in the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) [5] and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). [6]

A biological systems engineer has a background in what both environmental engineers and biologists do, thus bridging the gap between engineering and the (non-medical) biological sciences – although this is variable across academic institutions. [ citation needed ] For this reason, biological systems engineers are becoming integral parts of many environmental engineering firms, federal agencies, and biotechnology industries. A biological systems engineer will often address the solution to a problem from the perspective of employing living systems to enact change. For example, biological treatment methodologies can be applied to provide access to clean drinking water [7] or for sequestration of carbon dioxide. [8]

Specializations

Academic programs in agricultural and biological systems engineering

Below is a listing of known academic programs that offer bachelor's degrees (B.S. or B.S.E.) in what ABET and/or ASABE terms "agricultural engineering", "biological systems engineering", "biological engineering", or similarly named programs. ABET accredits college and university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. ASABE defines accredited programs within the scope of Ag/Bio Engineering.

North America

InstitutionProgramWeb site
Auburn University Biosystems Engineering www.eng.auburn.edu/
CalPoly San Louis Obispo BioResource and Agricultural Engineering www.brae.calpoly.edu/
California State University, Bakersfield BioResource and Agricultural Engineering
Clemson University Biosystems Engineering
Colorado State University Chemical and Biological Engineering
Cornell University Biological Engineering bee.cornell.edu/
Environmental Engineering
Dalhousie University Engineering www.dal.ca
Florida A&M University Biological Systems Engineering
Illinois Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering/Food Process Engineering
Iowa State University Agricultural Engineering www.abe.iastate.edu/
Biological Systems Engineering
Kansas State University Biological Systems Engineering www.bae.ksu.edu/home
Laval University Agri-Environmental Engineering
Food Engineering
Louisiana State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering www.bae.lsu.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Chemical-Biological Engineering www.mcgill.ca/bioeng/
McGill University Environmental Engineering www.mcgill.ca/bioeng/
Mercer University School of Engineering Bioresource Engineering
Michigan State University Biosystems Engineering www.egr.msu.edu/bae/
Mississippi State University Biological Engineering www.abe.msstate.edu
Biomedical Engineering
Montana State University Biological Engineering
Civil Engineering
Environmental Engineering
North Carolina State University Biological Engineering www.bae.ncsu.edu/
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Biological Engineering
North Dakota State University Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering www.ndsu.edu/aben/
Northern Kentucky University Biosystems Engineering
Oklahoma State University Biosystems Engineering biosystems.okstate.edu
Oregon State University Ecological Engineering bee.oregonstate.edu/
Forest Engineering
Penn State University Biological Engineering abe.psu.edu/
Purdue University Agricultural Engineering www.purdue.edu/abe
Biological Engineering
Rutgers University Bioenvironmental Engineering
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Bioprocess Engineering
Environmental Resources Engineering
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Bioprocess and Biochemical Engineering
South Dakota State University Chemical and Biological Engineering www.sdstate.edu/abe/
Texas A&M University Biological and Agricultural Engineering baen.tamu.edu/
Ohio State University Agricultural Engineering fabe.osu.edu
Food, Biological, and Ecological Engineering
University of Alabama Biological Engineering
University of Arizona Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering cals.arizona.edu/abe
University of Arkansas Biological Engineering www.baeg.uark.edu/
University of California, Davis Biological and Agricultural Engineering bae.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
University of Colorado at Boulder Chemical and Biological Engineering
University of Florida Agricultural and Biological Engineering www.abe.ufl.edu/
University of Guelph Biological Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Water Resources Engineering
University of Georgia Agricultural Engineering www.engr.uga.edu
Biological Engineering
University of Hawaii at Manoa Biological Engineering
University of Idaho Biological Engineering uidaho.edu/
Environmental Engineering
University of Illinois Agricultural and Biological Engineering abe.illinois.edu/
University of Kentucky Biosystems Engineering jokko.bae.uky.edu/BAEHome.asp
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agricultural Engineering bse.unl.edu
Biological Systems Engineering
Environmental Engineering
University of Maine Bioengineering
University of Manitoba Biosystems Engineering http://umanitoba.ca/
University of Maryland Bioengineering
University of Minnesota Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering www.bbe.umn.edu/
University of Missouri Biological Engineering bioengineering.missouri.edu/
University of Puerto Rico Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
University of Saskatchewan Biological Engineering
Chemical Engineering
University of Tennessee Biosystems Engineering bioengr.ag.utk.edu
University of Washington Bioresource Science & Engineering
University of Wisconsin Biological Systems Engineering bse.wisc.edu/
Utah State University Biological Engineering be.usu.edu
Virginia Polytechnic University Biological Systems Engineering www.bse.vt.edu
Washington State University Biological Systems Engineering bsyse.wsu.edu

Central and South America

InstitutionDepartmentWeb site
Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral Food Industry Engineering
Federal Institute of São Paulo (Campus of Avaré), BrazilBiosystems Engineering
Federal University of Campina Grande, BrazilBiosystems Engineering
Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Food Industry Engineering
National University of Colombia Agricultural Engineering
Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, MexicoIrrigation Department portal.chapingo.mx/irrigacion/
Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi Food Engineering
Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa RicaAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering
University of Campinas, BrazilAgricultural Engineering
Universidad de Cartagena Food Engineering
Universidad de las Américas Puebla Food Industry Engineering
Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon Food Industry Engineering
University of São Paulo (Campus of Piracicaba), BrazilBiosystems Engineering
University of São Paulo (Campus of Pirassununga), BrazilBiosystems Engineering
São Paulo State University (Campus of Tupã), BrazilBiosystems Engineering

Europe

InstitutionDepartment
KU Leuven, Belgium Department of Biosystems
University of Liege, Belgium Biosystem engineering
Aarhus University, Denmark Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany Biosystems Engineering
Leibniz University Hannover, Germany Biosystems and Horticultural Engineering,
University of Hohenheim, Germany Agricultural Engineering
Technological Institute Of Larissa, Greece Biosystems Engineering Mechanics, Agricultural, Food Science and Engineering, Biorobotics
University College Dublin, Ireland Biosystems Engineering
University of Maribor, Slovenia Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Technical University of Madrid, Spain Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering
UPC-BarcelonaTech, Spain Agri-Food and Biosystems Engineering
Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands Biosystems Engineering
Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Turkey Agricultural Engineering
Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Bingöl University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Bursa Uludağ University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Düzce University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Erciyes University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Iğdır University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Necmettin Erbakan University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering
Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Turkey Biosystems Engineering

Asia

InstitutionDepartment
Universitas Gadjah Mada, IndonesiaAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering
China Agricultural UniversityAgricultural Engineering
Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, ChinaAgricultural Soil and Water Engineering
Shanghai Jiatong University, ChinaBiological Engineering; Food Science and Engineering
Xi’an Jiaotong University, ChinaEnergy and Power Engineering
Yunnan Agricultural University, ChinaAgricultural Water-Soil Engineering
Zhejiang University, ChinaBiosystems Engineering and Food Science
National Taiwan UniversityBioenvironmental Systems Engineering
Bogor Agricultural UniversityMechanical dan Biosystem Engineering
Tarbiat Modares University, Islamic Republic of IranMechanical Engineering of Biosystems
University of Tehran, Islamic Republic of IranMechanical Engineering of Biosystems
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, IranMechanical Engineering of Biosystems
University of Tabriz, Islamic Republic of IranBiosystems Engineering
Uva Wellassa University of Sri LankaBiosystems Technology
Gorgan University of agricultural sciences and natural resources, Islamic Republic of IranBiosystems Engineering Department
Wayamba University of Sri LankaBiosystems Engineering Department
Institut Teknologi Sumatera, IndonesiaBiosystems Engineering
Kyungpook National University (KNU), KoreaBio-Industrial Machinery Engineering
Chungnam National University (CNU), KoreaBiosystems Machinery Engineering
Seoul National University (SNU), KoreaBiosystems Engineering
Kangwon National University (KNU), KoreaBiosystems Engineering
Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam UniversityAgricultural Biosystem and Mechanical Engineering
University of Sumatera Utara (USU)Agriculture and Biosystem Engineering
Holy Spirit University of Kaslik Agricultural Engineering
Mapua University Biological Engineering
Mapua Institute of Technology Biological Engineering
Tribhuvan University (TU,IOEPC), NepalAgricultural Engineering
Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), India Biological Systems Science and Engineering

Africa

InstitutionDepartment
Hawassa University, EthiopiaBiosystems Engineering
Ambo University, EthiopiaAgricultural and Bioprocess Engineering
Haramaya University, EthiopiaAgricultural Engineering
Adama University, EthiopiaAgricultural Engineering
University of Nairobi, KenyaEnvironmental and Biosystems Engineering
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, KenyaAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Gulu University, UgandaBiosystems Engineering

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biomedical engineering</span> Application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology

Biomedical engineering (BME) or medical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes. BME is also traditionally logical sciences to advance health care treatment, including diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy. Also included under the scope of a biomedical engineer is the management of current medical equipment in hospitals while adhering to relevant industry standards. This involves procurement, routine testing, preventive maintenance, and making equipment recommendations, a role also known as a Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) or as clinical engineering.

A Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a college graduate majoring in an engineering discipline at a higher education institution.

The ABET is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering technology.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) is an international professional society devoted to agricultural and biological engineering. It was founded in December 1907 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) and is now based in St. Joseph, Michigan. Today the organization has about 9,000 members in over 100 countries. ASABE serves many functions: it provides a forum for communication of research findings through conferences, scientific journals, and a magazine; it develops standards of practice; it provides opportunities for members to network. It cooperates with the Alpha Epsilon honor society.

The UC Davis College of Engineering is one of four undergraduate colleges on the campus of the University of California, Davis. One of the largest engineering programs in the U.S., the UC Davis College of Engineering offers 11 ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering majors. The college offers majors from a broad scope of engineering disciplines, including aerospace science, biochemical, biological systems, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer science, electrical, materials science, and mechanical engineering.

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional organization for chemical engineers. AIChE was established in 1908 to distinguish chemical engineers as professionals independent of chemists and mechanical engineers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biological engineering</span> Application of biology and engineering to create useful products

Biological engineering or bioengineering is the application of principles of biology and the tools of engineering to create usable, tangible, economically viable products. Biological engineering employs knowledge and expertise from a number of pure and applied sciences, such as mass and heat transfer, kinetics, biocatalysts, biomechanics, bioinformatics, separation and purification processes, bioreactor design, surface science, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and polymer science. It is used in the design of medical devices, diagnostic equipment, biocompatible materials, renewable energy, ecological engineering, agricultural engineering, process engineering and catalysis, and other areas that improve the living standards of societies.

The College of Science and Engineering (CSE) is one of the colleges of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On July 1, 2010, the college was officially renamed from the Institute of Technology (IT). It was created in 1935 by bringing together the university's programs in engineering, mining, architecture, and chemistry. Today, CSE contains 12 departments and 24 research centers that focus on engineering, the physical sciences, and mathematics.

Bioprocess engineering, also biochemical engineering, is a specialization of chemical engineering or biological engineering. It deals with the design and development of equipment and processes for the manufacturing of products such as agriculture, food, feed, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, chemicals, and polymers and paper from biological materials & treatment of waste water. Bioprocess engineering is a conglomerate of mathematics, biology and industrial design, and consists of various spectrums like the design and study of bioreactors to the creation of kinetic models. It also deals with studying various biotechnological processes used in industries for large scale production of biological product for optimization of yield in the end product and the quality of end product. Bioprocess engineering may include the work of mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineers to apply principles of their disciplines to processes based on using living cells or sub component of such cells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Florida College of Engineering</span> Engineering college in Gainesville, Florida

The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering is the largest professional school, the second largest college, and one of the top three research units at the University of Florida. The college was founded in 1910, and in 2015 was named in honor of Herbert Wertheim – a serial inventor, philanthropist and UF Distinguished Alumnus. Located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, the college is composed of nine departments, 15 degree programs, and more than 20 centers and institutes. It produces research and graduates in more than a dozen fields of engineering and science including: aerospace, agricultural, biological, biomedical, chemical, civil, coastal, computer, computer science, digital arts, electrical, environmental, industrial, materials, mechanical, nuclear, and systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purdue University College of Engineering</span> Public engineering school of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.

The College of Engineering at Michigan State University (MSU) is made up of 9 departments with 168 faculty members, over 6,000 undergraduate students, 10 undergraduate B.S. degree programs and a wide spectrum of graduate programs in both M.S. and Ph.D. levels. Each department offers at least one degree program, however many include more than one degree, multi-disciplinary programs, certifications and specialties as well as other degree programs affiliated with other colleges at Michigan State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental engineering science</span> Field of engineering science

Environmental engineering science (EES) is a multidisciplinary field of engineering science that combines the biological, chemical and physical sciences with the field of engineering. This major traditionally requires the student to take basic engineering classes in fields such as thermodynamics, advanced math, computer modeling and simulation and technical classes in subjects such as statics, mechanics, hydrology, and fluid dynamics. As the student progresses, the upper division elective classes define a specific field of study for the student with a choice in a range of science, technology and engineering related classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Samueli School of Engineering</span>

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering (HSSoE) is the academic unit of the University of California, Irvine that oversees academic research and teaching in disciplines of the field of engineering. Established when the campus opened in 1965, the school consists of five departments, each of which is involved in academic research in its specific field, as well as several interdisciplinary fields. The school confers Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agricultural engineering</span> Application of engineering for agricultural purposes

Agricultural engineering, also known as agricultural and biosystems engineering, is the field of study and application of engineering science and designs principles for agriculture purposes, combining the various disciplines of mechanical, civil, electrical, food science, environmental, software, and chemical engineering to improve the efficiency of farms and agribusiness enterprises as well as to ensure sustainability of natural and renewable resources.

The University of Missouri College of Engineering is one of the 19 academic schools and colleges of the University of Missouri, a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. The college, also known as Mizzou Engineering, has an enrollment of 3,204 students who are enrolled in 10 bachelor’s programs, nine master’s programs and seven doctorate programs. There are six academic departments within the College: Chemical and Biomedica Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Engineering and Information Technology; and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The college traces its beginning to the first engineering courses taught west of the Mississippi River in 1849. The college was ranked 88th nationally by the U.S. News & World Report in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Engineering</span>

The University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Engineering is one of the schools and colleges at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. It was established on September 1, 1947 as the School of Engineering and now considered as the best public engineering school in New England, enrolling 2250 undergraduate students and 610 graduate students including 300 M.S. students and 310 Ph.D. students for the 2018–2019 school year. The College of Engineering at UMass Amherst has eight buildings, including the Elab II, research facilities, computer labs, and graduate offices. It has more than 16,000 living alumni around the world.

The University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or UB Engineering, is the largest public engineering school in the state of New York and is home to eight departments. Established in 1946, UB Engineering is ranked 59th by U.S. News & World Report and has an annual research expenditure of $72 million.

Natural Resources Engineering, the sixth Abet accredited environmental engineering program in the United States, is a subset of environmental engineering that applies various branches of science in order to create new technology that aims to protect, maintain, and establish sustainable natural resources. Specifically, natural resources engineers are concerned with applying engineering concepts and solutions to prevalent environmental issues. Common natural resources this discipline of engineering works closely with include both living resources such as plants and animals as well as non-living resources such as renewable energy, land, soils, and water. Natural resource engineering also involves researching and evaluating natural and societal forces. The hydrological cycle is the main component of natural forces and the desires of other people attribute to societal forces. Some historical examples of applications of natural resources engineering include the Roman aqueducts and the Hoover Dam.

References

  1. For example the Department of Biological Systems Engineering Archived 2004-04-01 at the Wayback Machine at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University was established as agricultural engineering in 1920, and renamed in 1992 to reflect new focus areas in the teaching, research and extension programs.
  2. The Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln began within Mechanical Engineering, awarded its first degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1908, and changed its name to Biological Systems Engineering in 1990. http://engineering.unl.edu/bse/history/
  3. Website American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
  4. Website Institute of Biological Engineers
  5. Website Biomedical Engineering Society,
  6. Website American Institute of Chemical Engineers,
  7. Website http://www.jbioleng.org/content/5/1/2/ Biological approaches for addressing the grand challenge of providing access to clean drinking water
  8. Website http://www.jbioleng.org/content/5/1/14/ Addressing the Grand Challenge of atmospheric carbon dioxide: geologic sequestration vs. biological recycling

Further reading