Biological engineering is an emerging discipline that combines science and engineering principles. The department is research intensive and focuses on the application of research to solve current problems. Faculty members have expertise in the following broad areas: health and medicine, the environment, and renewable energy.
Research in the department ranges from developing biodiesel and bioplastics from algae to developing non-invasive bionanotechnologies that could help detect health problems before they progress to terminal diseases.
Faculty members in the department are nationally recognized. The department is even home to a USTAR professor. USTAR positions are funded by an initiative from the state of Utah aimed at bringing in the best researchers to address issues that solve current problems and can lead to economic development in the state.
Students may study in the following areas:
- Bioenergy Engineering: This focuses on the development and production of biofuels from algae and from other microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. This area also includes thermochemical conversion of biomass into bio-oil.
- Bioprocess Engineering: Students in bioprocess engineering study bioreactor design, operation, monitoring, and control for industrial, medical, and environmental applications.
- Bioproducts Engineering: This involves the research, design, and development of microbe-based products, such as bioplastics, bioenergy chemicals, and health-related chemicals.
- Biomedical Engineering: Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. Biomedical engineers may be involved with developing artificial organs or working with prostheses, instrumentation, health care delivery systems, etc. This field is expected to be the fastest growing occupation through 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Synthetic Biomanufacturing: Students in synthetic bio-manufacturing study the development of genetic engineering tools and platforms for production and scale-up of microbial-based new products.
- Bioenvironmental Systems Management: This is concerned with the reuse of municipal and industrial byproducts and microbial remediation for the protection of public health and the environment.
Concurrent Bachelors/Masters Program:
The department also offers a concurrent bachelors/masters program, which allows USU engineering students to begin taking graduate classes during their senior year as an undergraduate and to complete requirements for both the bachelor's degree and the masters degree concurrently over two years.

