Biological Systems Engineering

Graduate Student Overlay Scenic WSU - Credit: WSU Photos On Line PhotoSHop - Vince Himsl

Graduate Degrees

Biological Systems offers the following graduate degrees.

Ph.D. and M.S. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Research Areas

Biological Systems Engineering currently offers graduate degree programs in the following four general research emphasis areas.

Bioenergy and Bioproducts Engineering: Develop engineering processes to produce useful, high-value products from the byproducts of agricultural operations and other sources of plant biomass. [more]

Food Engineering: The application of engineering to the production of safe, nutritious food. [more]

Land, Air, Water & Environmental Engineering (LAWREE): Engineering applications related to hydrologic processes at the field level or at the scale of large water sheds. Application of engineering and biological principles to the study the environmental impact of managed biological systems, including agriculture, confined animal operations, aquaculture, and natural resources. [more]

Agricultural Automation Engineering: Develop engineering solutions for processes and equipment to meet the needs in specialty crop production. [more]

Facilities Overview

BSysE has several major facilities with modern analytical equipment available to graduate students including a state-certified Water Quality and Waste Analysis Laboratory, a computerized GIS and Environmental Modeling Laboratory, a food processing pilot plant and other food processing laboratory equipment, and a controlled atmosphere facility. Graduate students have used facilities at the USDA's Conservation Research Farm in Pullman and at WSU's Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser, Washington. Faculty members who have substantial collaborative arrangements with food processing companies or government laboratories send students to off-campus laboratories to use highly specialized equipment or to learn advanced techniques.