By Madelyn Ostendorf

A brand new diploma choice was launched throughout the industrial expertise main within the division of agricultural and biosystems engineering (ABE) that can put together college students to be manufacturing and methods upkeep specialists. Upon commencement, they’ll be ready to enter careers that help organic and biomanufacturing methods in our ever-evolving world.

The organic and biomanufacturing methods expertise (BBST) choice turned obtainable to college students this semester. It joins the present manufacturing and occupational security choices throughout the industrial expertise main, all involving hands-on coursework that culminates with a senior-year capstone undertaking. Students work with business professionals throughout this capstone undertaking to unravel an issue.

The BBST choice happened by way of conversations with brewing and distilling business specialists, who seen the rising want for college students with hands-on expertise together with a strong information of business biology and chemistry functions. Gretchen Mosher, affiliate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and chair of ABE’s Technology Curriculum Committee, stated talks with different industries indicated an rising want for a similar specialization in college students.

“There’s a need for management of machinery, and these students would be really well suited to that kind of work – a mix between the technology and management,” Mosher stated. “That’s the exciting part; there’s a lot of places BBST can take you.”

The BBST diploma choice is a pathway to careers of the longer term, stated Kurt Rosentrater, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, and the probabilities are infinite when it comes to profession functions.

“There is a gap in the industry,” Rosentrater stated. “Often, employees end up learning these things on the job. This new option is able to teach and prepare students to wear many hats before stepping foot on the job.”

BBST is a customizable choice, with college students having the chance to take lessons based mostly on the business they need to pursue. Those serious about distilling and brewing may take biology, chemistry and microbiology lessons, whereas these desirous to do feed manufacturing could take animal science and feed science programs.

“One of the great things about this option is if you know exactly what you want to do, great. We can help you get there,” Rosentrater stated. “If you are still figuring it out, great. We can help you get where you are going. Our students end up doing things in their careers that they had no idea they were going to do and work for companies they had no idea existed.”

Three college students are a part of the inaugural semester of the BBST choice. Julia Barajas, sophomore in industrial expertise, stated she was excited concerning the new choice.

“It brings together all the things I have been interested in since I started at Iowa State,” Barajas stated. “With BBST, there are so many career opportunities you could pursue. I am more interested in the food engineering and biofuels aspect of the option. Right now, I am currently applying for internships, and I’ve accepted two interviews so far from Ag Processing Inc. and Frito-Lay.”