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Biological Systems Engineering

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Biological Systems Engineering

Biological Systems Engineering at Wisconsin

Many students are unaware of Biological Engineering as a discipline, and may wonder what we do. Biological systems engineers design, manage, and develop systems and equipment that produce, package, process, and distribute the world's food and fiber supplies.

Biological Systems Engineering is a discipline based on engineering principles with emphasis on the production and processing of food, fibers, and materials of biological origin. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). UW's Biological Systems Engineering courses, curricula, and faculty meet the standards set for professional engineering programs at universities throughout the United States.

Choose from Different Options

The Biological Systems Engineering program at UW provides a broad based education, preparing students for the variety of applications that involve biological systems. While breadth is a part of the experience here, students have the opportunity to develop specialization in a number of areas. These different emphases are described below:

  • Machinery Systems Engineering
    • Machinery Systems Engineering is what many students initially perceive Biological Systems Engineering to be. These engineers are trained to design machines for production agriculture and construction. Concepts covered in this field include power transmission, traction, hydraulic power, and crop handling, such as planting and harvesting.
    • Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering
    • Natural resources and environmental engineers work with all kinds of natural resources, like water, soil, plants, and air. For example, they could be responsible for the design of livestock or wildlife watering stations in a natural forest or the design of a recycling waste management system on a dairy farm. Graduates find challenging and rewarding work with engineering and environmental consultants, with government agencies like the Forest Service, and with companies such as Valmont Irrigation and Creative Habitat.
    • Food and Bioprocess Engineering
  • Food and bioprocess engineers develop and manage equipment and systems that process and distribute food and other biologically based materials. They are required by the food industry to help develop processes that add value to food products. These processing technologies are designed to improve the storage life and marketability of food products, reduce their transportation costs, handle processing wastes, and develop alternative uses for biological materials. (For example, newspaper and soy flour are used to make the construction material, Environ�, and corn stalks can be used to make chemical absorbent pads.)

Financial Assistance

Scholarships are available through the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the Department of Nutritional Sciences. Additional financial assistance may be available from the UW-Madison Office of Financial Aids.

For more information contact:

  • Prospective Student Services

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an AA/EEO institution. University policies create additional protection that prohibits harassment on the basis of cultural background and ethnicity. Inquires concerning these policies may be directed to the appropriate campus admitting or employing unit or to the Equity and Diversity Resource Center, 179-A, Bascom Hall, (608) 263-2378, TTY (608) 263-2473..