Overview of Bioengineering
Bioengineering is a highly interdisciplinary field in which the techniques, devices, materials and resourcefulness of engineers are used to address problems in biology and healthcare; and lessons from biology are used to inspire design and inform progress in engineering. During the past 40 years, this synergy between biology and engineering has led to a wide range of implantable materials, diagnostic devices, sensors and molecular characterization techniques, and it has produced tools that greatly expedite the sequencing of the human genome. Along with these practical innovations has come a rapidly increasing need for personnel with the necessary hybrid skills to capitalize on them, and undergraduate bioengineering programs have proliferated alongside the continued growth of bioengineering research.
The undergraduate major in Bioengineering is designed to provide students with both breadth and depth as well as the possibility of a focus on molecular bioengineering, cellular and tissue engineering, or physiological engineering.
It is suitable preparation for individuals seeking a career in research or industry, or pursuing advanced degrees such as Ph.D. or M.D.
Areas of Research
- Stem cell tissue engineering and research
- Heart tissue, Blood Vessel tissue, Regenerative tissue
- Materials engineering based on natural phenomena
- K-12 science and technology curriculum enhancement
Potential Careers*
- Biochemist
- Biophysicist
- Bioinstrumentation expert
- Biomaterials expert
- Cellular, tissue or genetic engineer
- Orthopedic bioengineer
- Rehabilitation bioengineer
- Systems physiologist
* Please Note: Some of these careers might require education beyond a Bachelor's degree.
Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Bioengineering program demonstrate the following:
- An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
- An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
- An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
- An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
- An ability to communicate effectively
- The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
- A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning
- A knowledge of contemporary issues
- An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
More Information about Bioengineering
- Degree Requirement: Bioengineering, B.S.
- School of Engineering
- Staff & Faculty
- Brochure, School of Engineering (pdf)