Graduates may take a pre-med track that prepares them for medical or veterinary school. Faculty members develop course materials that incorporate biological concepts into engineering models. Others create models for heart pumps, software for prediction of plant growth and crop yield, microwave, radio-frequency, and high pressure food preservation systems, models for analyzing fish swimming and other animal movements, and teaching methods for engineering design. For a program that only began in 1992, BSysE has attracted top academic students who excel in leadership, motivation and creativity. Many participate in WSU's Honors College or achieve the President's Honor Roll status.
Numerous undergraduates choose to work with BSysE faculty on research projects.
WSU BSysE faculty and students receive recognition for outstanding achievements. National leaders identify biological engineering as an emerging profession that will make possible the next generation of technological breakthroughs. Tracking Alumni As many as half of recent BSysE graduates enter graduate school to obtain advanced degrees. For example, Seth Paul, now doing post-graduate work at WSU, received the outstanding poster award at a recent American Society of Mechanical Engineers conference. It will aid development of structures to guide fish around hydroelectric turbines, as well as designs for quieter propulsion systems for ocean-going vessels.