University of Arkansas

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: this is the aspiration for the Biological Engineering program at the University of Arkansas.  We improve people’s lives today and help assure a prosperous world for tomorrow by designing sustainable water, food, and energy systems. Where challenges exist, we create solutions by optimizing the living systems of our world (the interactions of human, plant, animal, environment, food, and microbes) using the tools of engineering and biotechnology. Biological engineers contribute significantly to human health and prosperity by ensuring a safe and readily available water supply, a safe and nutritious food supply, and a healthy ecosystem upon which both water and food depend.

The faculty of the Biological Engineering program seeks to provide a challenging technical education in a safe, secure and inclusive learning environment that promotes a desire for service and prepares graduates to:

1. Successfully practice engineering involving the design and management of sustainable water, food, energy and related biological systems,
2. Make ethical, valuable and sustained contributions that benefit employers, communities, Arkansas and the world, and
3. Succeed in graduate education or continuing professional development, as needed for professional growth and licensure.

A Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Engineering is a job-ready degree with opportunities in a variety of industries, government agencies, and consulting firms. It is also excellent preparation for graduate studies (M.S. or Ph.D.) in engineering and related fields, as well as entry into other professional schools (e.g., medical, veterinary, dental, pharmacy, etc.).

The B.S. in Biological Engineering degree can lead immediately to careers in:

• Ecological engineering, such as water quality and watershed management, water resources and irrigation, low impact development in urban watersheds, stream and habitat restoration, and air quality remediation.
• Food and bio-product process engineering, such as food processing, forest products, biotechnology, biofuels, waste treatment and by-product utilization.
• Sustainable resource engineering, such as sustainable agriculture to expand the food supply for a growing population; renewable and bio-energy development; life cycle analysis to assess, design and manage complex biological systems; efficient utilization of organic residues and by-products; conservation of Earth's finite resources.

Completion of degree requirements provides graduates with the following learning outcomes:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.