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Biological systems engineering
Broad-based engineering discipline with particular emphasis on biology and chemistry

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.

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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.12 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. 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 UniversityBiosystems Engineeringwww.eng.auburn.edu/
CalPoly San Louis ObispoBioResource and Agricultural Engineeringwww.brae.calpoly.edu/
California State University, BakersfieldBioResource and Agricultural Engineering[1]
Clemson UniversityBiosystems Engineering[2]
Colorado State UniversityChemical and Biological Engineering[3]
Cornell UniversityBiological Engineeringbee.cornell.edu/
Environmental Engineering
Dalhousie UniversityEngineeringwww.dal.ca
Florida A&M UniversityBiological Systems Engineering[4]
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChemical Engineering/Food Process Engineering[5]
Iowa State UniversityAgricultural Engineeringwww.abe.iastate.edu/
Biological Systems Engineering
Kansas State UniversityBiological Systems Engineeringwww.bae.ksu.edu/home
Laval UniversityAgri-Environmental Engineering[6]
Food Engineering
Louisiana State UniversityBiological and Agricultural Engineeringwww.bae.lsu.edu
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyChemical-Biological Engineeringwww.be.mit.edu
McGill UniversityEnvironmental Engineeringwww.mcgill.ca/bioeng/
Mercer University School of EngineeringBioresource Engineering[7]
Michigan State UniversityBiosystems Engineeringwww.egr.msu.edu/bae/
Mississippi State UniversityBiological Engineeringwww.abe.msstate.edu
Biomedical Engineering
Montana State UniversityBiological Engineering[8]
Civil Engineering
Environmental Engineering
North Carolina State UniversityBiological Engineeringwww.bae.ncsu.edu/
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State UniversityBiological Engineering[9]
North Dakota State UniversityAgricultural and Biosystems Engineeringwww.ndsu.edu/aben/
Northern Kentucky UniversityBiosystems Engineering[10]
Oklahoma State UniversityBiosystems Engineeringbiosystems.okstate.edu
Oregon State UniversityEcological Engineeringbee.oregonstate.edu/
Forest Engineering
Penn State UniversityBiological Engineeringabe.psu.edu/
Purdue UniversityAgricultural Engineeringwww.purdue.edu/abe
Biological Engineering
Rutgers UniversityBioenvironmental Engineering[11]
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestryBioprocess Engineering[12]
Environmental Resources Engineering
South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyBioprocess and Biochemical Engineering[13]
South Dakota State UniversityChemical and Biological Engineeringwww.sdstate.edu/abe/
Texas A&M UniversityBiological and Agricultural Engineeringbaen.tamu.edu/
Ohio State UniversityAgricultural Engineeringfabe.osu.edu
Food, Biological, and Ecological Engineering
University of AlabamaBiological Engineering[14]
University of ArizonaAgricultural and Biosystems Engineeringcals.arizona.edu/abe
University of ArkansasBiological Engineeringwww.baeg.uark.edu/
University of California, DavisBiological and Agricultural Engineeringbae.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
University of Colorado at BoulderChemical and Biological Engineering[15]
University of FloridaAgricultural and Biological Engineeringwww.abe.ufl.edu/
University of GuelphBiological Engineering[16]
Environmental Engineering
Water Resources Engineering
University of GeorgiaAgricultural Engineeringwww.engr.uga.edu
Biological Engineering
University of Hawaii at ManoaBiological Engineering[17]
University of IdahoBiological Engineeringuidaho.edu/
Environmental Engineering
University of IllinoisAgricultural and Biological Engineeringabe.illinois.edu/
University of KentuckyBiosystems Engineeringjokko.bae.uky.edu/BAEHome.asp
University of Nebraska-LincolnAgricultural Engineeringbse.unl.edu
Biological Systems Engineering
Environmental Engineering
University of MaineBioengineering[18]
University of ManitobaBiosystems Engineeringhttp://umanitoba.ca/
University of MarylandBioengineering[19]
University of MinnesotaBioproducts and Biosystems Engineeringwww.bbe.umn.edu/
University of MissouriBiological Engineeringbioengineering.missouri.edu/
University of Puerto RicoAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering[20]
University of SaskatchewanBiological Engineering[21]
Chemical Engineering
University of TennesseeBiosystems Engineeringbioengr.ag.utk.edu
University of WashingtonBioresource Science & Engineering[22]
University of WisconsinBiological Systems Engineeringbse.wisc.edu/
Utah State UniversityBiological Engineeringbe.usu.edu
Virginia Polytechnic UniversityBiological Systems Engineeringwww.bse.vt.edu
Washington State UniversityBiological Systems Engineeringbsyse.wsu.edu

Central and South America

InstitutionDepartmentWeb site
Escuela Superior Politécnica del LitoralFood 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 MonterreyFood Industry Engineering
National University of ColombiaAgricultural Engineering
Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, MexicoIrrigation Departmentportal.chapingo.mx/irrigacion/
Universidad Autonoma de San Luis PotosiFood Engineering
Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa RicaAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering
University of Campinas, BrazilAgricultural Engineering
Universidad de CartagenaFood Engineering
Universidad de las Américas PueblaFood Industry Engineering
Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo LeonFood Industry Engineering[23]
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, BelgiumDepartment of Biosystems
University of Liege, BelgiumBiosystem engineering
Aarhus University, DenmarkFaculty of Agricultural Sciences
Humboldt-Universität Berlin, GermanyBiosystems Engineering
Leibniz University Hannover, GermanyBiosystems and Horticultural Engineering,
University of Hohenheim, GermanyAgricultural Engineering
Technological Institute Of Larissa, GreeceBiosystems Engineering Mechanics, Agricultural, Food Science and Engineering, Biorobotics
University College Dublin, IrelandBiosystems Engineering
University of Maribor, SloveniaFaculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Technical University of Madrid, SpainAgricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering
UPC-BarcelonaTech, SpainAgri-Food and Biosystems Engineering
Wageningen University and Research Centre, The NetherlandsBiosystems Engineering
Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Aydın Adnan Menderes University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, TurkeyAgricultural Engineering
Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Bingöl University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Bursa Uludağ University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Düzce University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Erciyes University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Iğdır University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Necmettin Erbakan University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, TurkeyBiosystems Engineering
Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, TurkeyBiosystems 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
Arak UniversityBiosystems Engineering
Tarbiat Modares University, Islamic Republic of IranBiosystems Engineering
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 KaslikAgricultural Engineering
Mapua UniversityBiological Engineering
Mapua Institute of TechnologyBiological Engineering
Tribhuvan University (TU,IOEPC), NepalAgricultural Engineering
Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), IndiaBiological Systems Science and Engineering
Plaksha University ([24]) , IndiaBiological Systems 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 engineering fieldsClosely related sciences

Further reading

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. http://www.bse.vt.edu/department/ ↩

  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/ http://engineering.unl.edu/bse/history/ ↩

  3. Website American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers http://www.asabe.org/ ↩

  4. Website Institute of Biological Engineers http://www.ibe.org/ ↩

  5. Website Biomedical Engineering Society, http://bmes.org/ ↩

  6. Website American Institute of Chemical Engineers, http://www.aiche.org/ ↩

  7. Website http://www.jbioleng.org/content/5/1/2/ Biological approaches for addressing the grand challenge of providing access to clean drinking water http://www.jbioleng.org/content/5/1/2/ ↩

  8. Website http://www.jbioleng.org/content/5/1/14/ Addressing the Grand Challenge of atmospheric carbon dioxide: geologic sequestration vs. biological recycling http://www.jbioleng.org/content/5/1/14/ ↩