Biological Engineering integrates life sciences with engineering, advancing and applying the fundamental concepts of biological systems from the molecular to the ecological. Itincorporates tremendousdevelopments inquantitative, mechanistic,and molecular-levelunderstanding to further the capabilitiesof biological systems.

Biological Engineering impacts the well-being of humans, plants, and animals through:

•Medical devices and diagnostics

• Effective and safer pharmaceuticals

• Bio-based industrial products

• Improved food safety

• Preservation and enhancement of natural resources and the environment

Contact

Office of Student Services

Biological & Environmental Engineering

207 Riley-Robb Hall Ithaca, NY 14853

Tel: 607.255.2173

Biological Engineering MajorBringing Engineering to Life and Life to Engineering

Biological Engineers are problem solvers at every level: from biosensors to bionergy, they address challenges at all scales. An ever exciting and increasingly applicable field, Biological Engineering couples the logic of how something works with the creativity of discovering how it can be used.

Combining the power of engineering principles and techniques with the constantly evolving science of biology, the field of Biological Engineering tackles local, national and global challenges such as ensuring safe and sustainable food and energy supplies, protecting natural resources, developing devices to monitor or intervene in the mechanisms of living organisms, and using biological materials in new and innovative ways.

Housed in the highly ranked Department of Biological & Environmental Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Biological Engineering Major follows the academic requirements of the College of Engineering. The program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and students may seek engineering professional licensing after graduation.

Built upon a base of seven core Biological Engineering courses and a wide range of electives, students graduate from the program not only with a thorough grounding in engineering fundamentals and a comprehensive understanding of modern biology, but also with experience in teamwork and technical communication; crucial skills in today’s innovation landscape.

Our graduates find employment in the pharmaceutical, food, biotechnology, financial, and consumer products industries, as well as in environmental consulting. Many of our students pursue advanced degrees in the field, or go on to study medicine, law, and business. Others will work in research and industry, often leading teams of scientists and engineers, or with consulting firms, manufacturers, and government agencies. Products of their efforts help ensure a safe and adequate supply of food and water, create new medicines, diagnose and treat human and animal diseases, and foster more efficient and sustainable utilization of plant, animal and microbial systems.

The biological revolution races forward, creating opportunities for multidisciplinary critical thinkers, engineers fluent in both the physical and life sciences, who can communicate effectively, are sensitive to the needs of people and the environment, and who are motivated to solve the challenges facing society. The Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering is committed to educating Biological Engineers to meet these challenges.

Innovative InstructionWhey to Go!

Students in Professor Lars Angenent’s BEE4870 Sustainable Bioenergy Systems senior design class won 2nd place in the “Greenovate NYS” student competition in 2014.

The team designed a system of digesters that could treat the 270,000 gallons of waste acid whey produced daily at the Chobani Greek Yogurt Plant in New Berlin, NY. The system produces biogas which can be burned to generate electricity, thereby mitigating 40 million pounds of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases each year, and would pay for itself in less than three years.

A Menu for Mars

Professor Jean Hunter and her lab have been studying how to supply real-life space travelers with meals that are tasty, practical, and nurturing. In 2013, she oversaw a four-month experiment in which six volunteers were sequestered in a simulated Martian base in Hawai’i. The experiment allowed members of the lab to explore such factors as resource use, menu fatigue, and the benefits of home cooking—even millions of miles from home.

Closer to home at a NASA facility in Texas, two postdocs in her lab recently conducted the first partial gravity cooking on record to test the effectiveness of a specially constructed kitchen galley for space travel.

The CurriculumBecause biological engineers work at the interface of biology and engineering, the major requires core courses in both disciplines. Throughout the curriculum, emphasis is also placed on communication, ethics, and teamwork skills. All students participate in a major design experience near the end of the curriculum.

For those planning to go to on to medical school, the Biological Engineering Concentration complements required pre-med courses and, with proper planning, can result in a Biomedical Engineering Minor at the same time. Engineering management, mechanical engineering, and operations research and management minors are also a possibility.

Core Courses: Principles in Biological Engineering, Molecular and Cellular Principles, Biokinetics and Thermodynamics, Biotransport, Bioinstrumentation, Biofluid Mechanics, Biomaterials, Bioheat and Mass Transfer

Required Science Courses: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Introductory and Advanced Biology

Elective Course Focus Areas: Biomaterials, Nanobiotechnology, Ecological and Microbial Systems, Modeling and Simulation, Synthetic Biology, Molecular and Cellular Systems, Sustainability

Opportunities Outside of the Classroom•Industry internships and cooperative education•Research assistantships on campus•Community service projects•Design competitions•Off-campus study, including study abroad and Cornell in Washington

Real World ApplicationsCareer opportunities for Biological Engineering graduates cover the spectrum of private industry, public agencies, educational institutions, and graduate and professional programs in engineering, science, medicine, and law. In recent years graduates have pursued careers in consulting, biotechnology, pharmaceutical industries, biomedical engineering, management and business, public health, research and manufacturing, medical technology, veterinary studies, and international development.

Biotechnology and Public Health: Drug development and delivery, developing diagnostic and research tools, biosecurity

Environment: Monitoring and controlling water pollution, turning waste streams into renewable products, remediation of environmental disasters

Energy: Developing sustainable biofuel systems, optimizing capture and storage devices

Food and Agriculture: Quality control, sensors for food safety, improved nutrient delivery Consumer Products: Quality control, safety, development of cosmetics

Public Health: Development of new drugs; Improvements in drug delivery