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.
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. 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]
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.
| Institution | Program | Web site | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biosystems Engineering | www.eng.auburn.edu/ | ||
| BioResource and Agricultural Engineering | www.brae.calpoly.edu/ | ||
| BioResource and Agricultural Engineering | https://www.csub.edu/physics/ | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | https://www.clemson.edu/cecas/departments/eees/academics/undrgrad/be.html | ||
| Chemical and Biological Engineering | https://www.engr.colostate.edu/cbe/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | bee.cornell.edu/ | ||
| Environmental Engineering | |||
| Engineering | www.dal.ca | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | http://www.famu.edu/cesta/main/index.cfm/academic-programs/undergraduate-programs/biological-and-agricultural-systems-engineering/ | ||
| Chemical Engineering/Food Process Engineering | https://www.iit.edu/academics/programs/chemical-engineering-bs-food-process-engineering-mas | ||
| Agricultural Engineering | www.abe.iastate.edu/ | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | |||
| Biological Systems Engineering | www.bae.ksu.edu/home | ||
| Laval University | Agri-Environmental Engineering | http://www.vrrc.ulaval.ca/fileadmin/ulaval_ca/Images/recherche/bd/chercheur/fiche/282113.html | |
| Food Engineering | |||
| Biological and Agricultural Engineering | www.bae.lsu.edu | ||
| Chemical-Biological Engineering | www.mcgill.ca/bioeng/ | ||
| Environmental Engineering | www.mcgill.ca/bioeng/ | ||
| Bioresource Engineering | https://engineering.mercer.edu/environmental/ | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | www.egr.msu.edu/bae/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | www.abe.msstate.edu | ||
| Biomedical Engineering | |||
| Biological Engineering | https://chbe.montana.edu/ | ||
| Civil Engineering | |||
| Environmental Engineering | |||
| Biological Engineering | www.bae.ncsu.edu/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | https://www.ncat.edu/caes/departments/natural-resources-and-environmental-design/bs-biological-engineering.php | ||
| Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | www.ndsu.edu/aben/ | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | http://nku.catalog.acalog.com/preview_program.php?catoid=9&poid=1361 | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | biosystems.okstate.edu | ||
| Oregon State University | Ecological Engineering | bee.oregonstate.edu/ | |
| Forest Engineering | |||
| Biological Engineering | abe.psu.edu/ | ||
| Purdue University | Agricultural Engineering | www.purdue.edu/abe | |
| Biological Engineering | |||
| Bioenvironmental Engineering | https://envsci.rutgers.edu/academics/bee_grad/ | ||
| Bioprocess Engineering | https://www.esf.edu/pbe/bpe/ | ||
| Environmental Resources Engineering | |||
| Bioprocess and Biochemical Engineering | https://www.sdsmt.edu/Academics/Departments/Chemical-and-Biological-Engineering/Undergraduate-Education/ | ||
| Chemical and Biological Engineering | www.sdstate.edu/abe/ | ||
| Biological and Agricultural Engineering | baen.tamu.edu/ | ||
| Agricultural Engineering | fabe.osu.edu | ||
| Food, Biological, and Ecological Engineering | |||
| Biological Engineering | https://che.eng.ua.edu/ | ||
| Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | cals.arizona.edu/abe | ||
| Biological Engineering | www.baeg.uark.edu/ | ||
| Biological and Agricultural Engineering | bae.engineering.ucdavis.edu/ | ||
| Chemical and Biological Engineering | https://www.colorado.edu/chbe/ | ||
| Agricultural and Biological Engineering | www.abe.ufl.edu/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | http://www.uoguelph.ca/engineering/undergrad-biological-engineering | ||
| Environmental Engineering | |||
| Water Resources Engineering | |||
| Agricultural Engineering | www.engr.uga.edu | ||
| Biological Engineering | |||
| Biological Engineering | https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/Majors/BE | ||
| Biological Engineering | uidaho.edu/ | ||
| Environmental Engineering | |||
| Agricultural and Biological Engineering | abe.illinois.edu/ | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | jokko.bae.uky.edu/BAEHome.asp | ||
| Agricultural Engineering | bse.unl.edu | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | |||
| Environmental Engineering | |||
| Bioengineering | http://umaine.edu/chb/undergraduate-programs/ | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | http://umanitoba.ca/ | ||
| Bioengineering | http://www.bioe.umd.edu/ | ||
| Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering | www.bbe.umn.edu/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | bioengineering.missouri.edu/ | ||
| Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | http://agricultura.uprm.edu/ingenieria/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | https://www.usask.ca/programs/colleges-schools/grad-studies/programs/biological-engineering.php | ||
| Chemical Engineering | |||
| Biosystems Engineering | bioengr.ag.utk.edu | ||
| Bioresource Science & Engineering | https://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/program/S/SchoolofEnvironmentalandForestScience-1069.html | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | bse.wisc.edu/ | ||
| Biological Engineering | be.usu.edu | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | www.bse.vt.edu | ||
| Biological Systems Engineering | bsyse.wsu.edu |
| Institution | Department | Web site |
|---|---|---|
| Food Industry Engineering | ||
| Federal Institute of São Paulo (Campus of Avaré), Brazil | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Federal University of Campina Grande, Brazil | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Food Industry Engineering | ||
| Agricultural Engineering | ||
| Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico | Irrigation Department | portal.chapingo.mx/irrigacion/ |
| Food Engineering | ||
| Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica | Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | |
| University of Campinas, Brazil | Agricultural Engineering | |
| Food Engineering | ||
| Food Industry Engineering | ||
| Food Industry Engineering | https://www.uanl.mx/en/oferta/ingenieria-en-industrias-alimentarias/ | |
| University of São Paulo (Campus of Piracicaba), Brazil | Biosystems Engineering | |
| University of São Paulo (Campus of Pirassununga), Brazil | Biosystems Engineering | |
| São Paulo State University (Campus of Tupã), Brazil | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Institution | Department | |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Biosystems | ||
| Biosystem engineering | ||
| Faculty of Agricultural Sciences | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems and Horticultural Engineering, | ||
| Agricultural Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering Mechanics, Agricultural, Food Science and Engineering, Biorobotics | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences | ||
| Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Agri-Food and Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Agricultural Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering | ||
| Biosystems Engineering |
| Institution | Department | |
|---|---|---|
| Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia | Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering | |
| China Agricultural University | Agricultural Engineering | |
| Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, China | Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering | |
| Shanghai Jiatong University, China | Biological Engineering; Food Science and Engineering | |
| Xi’an Jiaotong University, China | Energy and Power Engineering | |
| Yunnan Agricultural University, China | Agricultural Water-Soil Engineering | |
| Zhejiang University, China | Biosystems Engineering and Food Science | |
| National Taiwan University | Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering | |
| Bogor Agricultural University | Mechanical dan Biosystem Engineering | |
| Tarbiat Modares University, Islamic Republic of Iran | Biosystems Engineering | |
| University of Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran | Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems | |
| Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran | Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems | |
| University of Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka | Biosystems Technology | |
| Gorgan University of agricultural sciences and natural resources, Islamic Republic of Iran | Biosystems Engineering Department | |
| Wayamba University of Sri Lanka | Biosystems Engineering Department | |
| Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Kyungpook National University (KNU), Korea | Bio-Industrial Machinery Engineering | |
| Chungnam National University (CNU), Korea | Biosystems Machinery Engineering | |
| Seoul National University (SNU), Korea | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Kangwon National University (KNU), Korea | Biosystems Engineering | |
| Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University | Agricultural Biosystem and Mechanical Engineering | |
| University of Sumatera Utara (USU) | Agriculture and Biosystem Engineering | |
| Agricultural Engineering | ||
| Biological Engineering | ||
| Biological Engineering | ||
| Tribhuvan University (TU,IOEPC), Nepal | Agricultural Engineering | |
| Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), India | Biological Systems Science and Engineering |
| Institution | Department |
|---|---|
| Hawassa University, Ethiopia | Biosystems Engineering |
| Ambo University, Ethiopia | Agricultural and Bioprocess Engineering |
| Haramaya University, Ethiopia | Agricultural Engineering |
| Adama University, Ethiopia | Agricultural Engineering |
| University of Nairobi, Kenya | Environmental and Biosystems Engineering |
| Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya | Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering |
| Gulu University, Uganda | Biosystems Engineering |