Students in Biosystems Engineering turn their ideas into reality in their freshman year. A sophomore in Biosystems Engineering is pictured above with the expandable bale mover he designed in the 3-D modeling package Mechanical Desktop. The engineers of today are solving tomorrows problems, but in a variety of fields and ways. Some engineers create new products like combines, computers, and food products. Others conduct scientific research, working in laboratories or outdoors, perhaps monitoring water quality or developing safer food handling techniques.
Some engineers choose to attend medical school or law school.
Others enter the technical marketing arena, utilizing their engineering background to help sell products or educate others on the merits of a particular product. Many of the CEOs of major companies actually have engineering degrees, including Dupont CEO and UT graduate Charles O. Holliday, Jr . In our increasingly high-tech society, the profession of engineering offers plentiful job opportunities, superior salaries and a high rate of professional satisfaction. While the demand for engineers is on the rise, the number of bachelor's degrees awarded in engineering has declined since 1986. Competitive pressures and advancing technology are forcing companies to improve and update products designs more and more frequently.