Have you ever...
- wondered how 5 billion people are fed every day on this earth?
- been concerned about the availability of land, water, and energy resources to feed another 4 billion people by the year 2030?
- thought about the safety of the food we eat, the water we drink, or the air we breathe?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, and if you would like to do something about it, you should consider a career in Biosystems Engineering!
What is a biosystem?
The biosystem is a complex life sustaining system. The land, water, and air system, interacting to produce food and support life on this planet, are all part of the biosystem. The biosystem, as we define it, includes food production and processing systems, natural resources, and the environment. We must use these natural resources to produce food responsibly while preserving the quality of the environment.
Problems in the biosphere are complex and require a multidisciplinary systems approach. A biosystems engineer must understand that every engineering action has a biological reaction. He or she must be able to integrate biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics with the engineering and systems sciences in order to design comprehensive solutions to the problems of a biosystem.
What does the Biosystems Engineering program involve?
The Biosystems Engineering program is designed to train students how to solve complex problems to ensure a plentiful, sustainable, and safe food supply and to improve the well being of humans. The BS program is flexible and allows students to take courses in a cognate area of their choice. Among these cognates are:
- Food Engineering - emphasis on processing of food and food by-products.
- Food Production Engineering - emphasis on the production aspect of food and fiber.
- Natural Resources Engineering - emphasis on ecological and environmental aspects of utilization and preservation of land, air and water resources.
- Biotechnology - emphasis on genetics, DNA, and molecular technology.
- Biomedical - emphasis on biomaterials/biomechanics for application in medicine.
The job opportunities for biosystems engineers are rapidly expanding in areas related to food production, food processing, natural resources engineering, and environmental engineering. The U.S. food industry exceeds $400 billion in sales and employs over 25,000 engineers. Graduates find employment in the private sector and with governmental and international agencies.
Who's Hiring?
Governmental agencies hiring biosystems engineers include:
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
A few international organizations employing biosystems engineers:
- The World Bank
- The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
