Applied Biosciences (PSM) - Sustainable Bioeconomy and Bioenergy Emphasis

The primary objective of the SBB track is to prepare students for jobs as research professionals in the field of bioenergy, biofuels, and novel agricultural systems research as part of a sustainable regional and global bioeconomy. Students will be interested in research towards selecting and improving appropriate feedstock; producing feedstock in a sustainable manner; researching conversion of the feedstock to biofuels, bioenergy and value-added coproducts; and in developing techno-economic and sustainability models to evaluate paths to commercialization and socioeconomic impacts. Students completing the SBB track will seek employment in public or private research organizations (including universities) that conduct research in these fields; private companies (from bioenergy startups to established multinationals in the existing energy industries) that are interested in sustainable bioenergy research and implementation; governmental agencies that regulate the biofuels industry; and in nonprofit organizations that evaluate the environmental and societal impact of these industries. Just as the other PSM-ABS emphases, the SBB track will provide a rigorous but student-tailored and student-centered science training that is complemented by integration of important knowledge from the disciplines of management, economics, business practices, and law. Just as students in the existing tracks, SBB students will complete an internship at a company (preferably in the Tucson-Phoenix corridor) or at a UofA lab appropriate for their career goals, in order to obtain invaluable on-the-job training, experience and knowledge. This real world know-how obtained in the internship is unique and cannot be emulated in the classroom nor by taking on-line courses. As part of their graduate program, students will prepare, present and defend an internship report in lieu of a thesis (ABS is a non-thesis MS degree). This report will describe the field of research the student was engaged in; details their contributions to this field; and discusses future directions such research may take. Students graduating in the SBB program will typically do research during their professional career “at the bench” (including the “virtual bench” of the computer, in case of research in socioeconomic modeling), with the perspective of eventually managing a laboratory at a university or in industry. With knowledge gained in business and legal fields, our trained scholars can also become involved in the business side of the bioenergy industry, becoming project managers, regulatory agency employees, marketing and analysis professionals.

• International applicants to Arizona Online campus, Global Direct campus, or a Global Microcampus should choose the Distance Learner (DL) visa type in their Application Profile.
• International applicants to the Main campus must currently hold a US visa that permits incidental study. 
• Please verify your visa eligibility with International Student Services before applying.  The application fee is non-refundable and will not be refunded if your visa status is not eligible.  
• Applicants must meet all Graduate College minimum admission requirements, including English proficiency.
• Applicants should be prepared to submit copies of their visa documents, additional transcripts, or degree documentation if requested.
• University of Arizona regulations require that all international students on non-immigrant visas carry the University of Arizona student health insurance plan.