Get Your Degree in Biological Engineering
Biological Engineering (BE) is a field of engineering in which the emphasis is on life and life-sustaining systems. Biological engineers study the design, production, and operation of engineered systems in which living organisms (plants, animals, aquatic species, cells, etc.) are a major component. They approach problems in the context of the whole system to balance society's demand for products from biological resources (e.g., food, fiber, and higher-value products) with environmental integrity and economic success.
The Biological Engineering program gives students a unique opportunity to explore the fundamentals of engineering and biology and the application of engineering to biological systems. Our educational objectives are to
- provide students with the fundamentals of engineering
- train students to become engineers with the skills to design, manufacture, test, and operate systems in which living organisms or biological products are a significant component
- produce graduates that have the skills to function in modern society, as is expected of a professional engineer with a baccalaureate degree.
As a BE student, your course work will focus on biology, chemistry, physics, and math, as well as fundamental and applied engineering topics. The capstone of your educational experience is a two-semester engineering design course where you will have the opportunity to use your knowledge and skills to address real design problems in biological engineering.
In the Biological Engineering program, you will benefit from small class sizes, student-centered, cutting-edge laboratory and design experiences, and one-on-one interactions with faculty. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Work with Top Professors
Learn with an internationally recognized faculty that includes licensed professional engineers with broad-ranging expertise such as bioenergy production, molecular and protein engineering, bioprocess control systems, biochemical engineering, aquacultural engineering, wastewater engineering, engineering economics, and biosensor design.
Use Cutting Edge Technology
Design your ideas using modern facilities for computer- aided design and simulation.
Build your designs using a variety of engineering tools including traditional shop machines, laser engravers, hydraulic systems, motors and other actuators, circuit board layout and printing, and digital controllers.
Test the performance of your design with state-of-the art instrumented bioreactors, computer data acquisition systems, biosensors, and biochemical separation and analysis systems.
Team up with Award-Winning Students
Our students are routinely recognized with awards locally, nationally, and internationally for their scholarly activity and are regularly published in peer-reviewed literature.
Our alumni have distinguished themselves in a variety of engineering and biology– related careers, and many continue their studies at prestigious universities such as Stanford, MIT, and Cornell.
Open Doors to New Careers and Opportunities
Obtaining a BS in Biological Engineering will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. Our graduates design process equipment and systems for biological production and treatment, implement site preparation for construction or bioremediation of environmental contamination, develop processes to derive renewable energy from biological materials, and investigate methods for improving the value of natural products for food and therapeutic applications. Increasing numbers of our graduates are meeting demands from growing biotech industries; for example, for the production of systems for culturing human tissues for medical replacement and for screening, extracting, and producing antibiotics and other pharmaceutical compounds from Hawai‘i’s unique natural biota.
A degree in Biological Engineering also prepares students for graduate school, not only in BE but in medicine, law, and business, which all value the versatility and analytical rigor of the field. Graduates also fill vital research and regulatory positions in state and federal agencies to preserve and enhance the value of our natural resources.
For Fun and Friends
Join your fellow students in the Biological Engineering Student Association, an affiliate of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. The campus at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa offers a wide range of student activities for education and entertainment and is set in one of the most remote and pristine natural environments in the world.
Are You Prepared?
To succeed in biological engineering, you should have a strong interest and preparation in mathematics and the biological and physical sciences, as well as in written communication. Students newly admitted to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa can enroll directly into the Biological Engineering program, and transfer students from other programs who are in good academic standing can also enroll in the program.
