BAE: Agricultural Engineering

Learn the fundamentals of designing agricultural machinery, equipment and structures. Devise more efficient ways to use natural resources and reduce pollution. Develop ways to make biofuels from agricultural products, byproducts and waste.

Our graduates are problem solvers in agribusiness.

Courses in math, soils and fluid mechanics prepare you for more advanced courses in irrigation design, geographic information systems (GIS) and pesticides in the environment. Much of your education takes place in labs, where you will:

• Explore water quality and use in the water resources lab.
• Make discoveries about renewable energy in the biodiesel and biofuel labs.
• Design controls and switches in the power lab.
• Use computer-aided design technology (CAD) in the computing lab.

In your senior year, you will draw on everything you have learned to solve a real-world problem for an industry sponsor. Working in a team with classmates, you might transform used French fry cooking oil into biodiesel for the J. R. Simplot Company, or design a better conveyor belt gate for Key Technologies. Present your findings at the University of Idaho Engineering Expo where future employers judge student projects.

Students are encouraged to complete an internship the summer between their junior and senior year. Many students conduct research with professors in biological and agricultural engineering.

Prepare for Success

This major is a good fit if you can see yourself:

• Studying math, physics, soils and earth sciences.
• Communicating and working in teams that may include farmers, ranchers, plant scientists and policymakers.
• Using creativity, scientific knowledge and engineering expertise to design equipment and systems for agriculture.

To prepare, you may want to:

• Stay current with new technology and try building or fixing equipment.
• Participate in 4-H activities, volunteer at a county fair or work for a farm.
• Practice your leadership skills in student office.

Your First Year

Your first year, you will hone your communication skills with course work in writing. You will also cover engineering problem solving and engineering for living systems.

More advanced courses include topics such as engineering graphics, irrigation design, and instrumentation and measurements.

See the four-year plan.

What You Can Do

With this degree, you may become one of the following:

• Design engineer: Design, fabricate and test agricultural machinery components and equipment.
• Project engineer: Plan and supervise the layout of an irrigation system, a manure-to-fertilizer operation, construction of structures for crop storage, animal shelter and loading, and crop processing.
• Quality control engineer: Ensure equipment operates safely and efficiently for a company like John Deere.
• Consulting engineer: Advise on issues such as pollution management and water use. Conduct educational programs that help farmers improve agricultural productivity.

Opportunities

Our graduates are highly sought by manufacturers, agribusiness firms, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Starting salaries are up to $55,000.

You may also want to continue your education. Earn an advanced degree in engineering or food science.

Current Research

Make hands-on discoveries and earn money working with faculty on grant-funded research. Our faculty is currently researching many topics in agricultural engineering, including machine vision, precision irrigation systems, biological waste treatment and biofuel production. You may work on a project like these:

• Agrability Project: Explore new equipment and processes to help people with disabilities work in production agriculture.
• USDA Research Grant: Design a probe that uses UV light to detect the amount of biodiesel in a blend.
• Department of Energy: Discover why biodiesel causes less engine wear than regular diesel.

Activities

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: Join the student branch, meet business leaders and potential employers, and work with a team to build a ¼-scale tractor for the International Student Design Competition.
Tau Beta Pi: Receive career assistance and leadership opportunities through this national honor society of engineers.
Society of Women Engineers: Network and develop professionally.

Hands-On Experience

Intern. Get practical experiences like these:

• SCAFCO Grain Systems: Work on designs and cost estimates for farm storage structures.
• Idaho Department of Water Resources: Take weekly water samples, test nutrient levels, and monitor water usage.
• Idaho Farm Bureau Federation: Analyze current issues affecting the quality of life for farm and ranch families.

Study abroad. Deepen your understanding of your major—and the world—in countries like these:

• Sweden: Help design a sustainable student housing project.
• Mexico: Tour chicken farms and a tequila manufacturing plant.
• India: Learn about 1,000-year-old farming practices on terraced hillsides.