Bioengineering: new to USU and thriving
The last century was the era of electronics and advancements in computers. The next century will be the age of bio engineering and technology.
Assistant professor Tim Taylor, of the biological engineering department, used the previous information from the Human Genome News, at www.ornl.gov, to describe the field of biological engineering.
“Machines are designed to aid with growing the cells that produce the natural compounds needed to create the ingredients in things like aspirin,” Taylor said.
He said biological engineers are different from scientists because engineers focus on how things work and are improved upon and not why.
“Utah State University’s fastest-growing department is biological engineering,” Taylor said.
It is a new dimension of engineering that integrates the understanding of biological sciences with the conventional study of mathematics, physics and chemistry, he said.
Conly Hansen, a part-time professor in biological engineering, said food engineers work with food scientists in designing the machines and processes for many foods and food by-products.
Bioenviromental engineering focuses on the treatment, disposal and biodegradation of biowastes. It includes biomass processing and conversion, treatment and biodegradation of biowastes and the mitigation of surface- and ground water-quality problems.
Paula Decaria, a senior in biological engineering, decided to go into bioengineering because it was such an open field with so many options.
“It’s always changing with technology. You never get bored,” she said.
She now works for Hyclone Research and Development, Decaria is working on developing a liquid medium that contains all nutrients cells need in order to grow.
“We can’t chemically make some proteins, they are so complex we have to grow them,” Decaria said.
Hansen is currently in charge of two major projects. One project tests high-pressure injection of marinade into meat. The other tests waste management. The Center for Profitable uses of Agricultural Byproducts wanted to create a way of utilizing animal manure. Hansen has helped to create a way to treat manure and turn it into biogas, which is similar to natural gas, that can produce enough power to supply electricity to 65 homes.
–kassrobison@cc.usu.edu