Vol. 3 No. 1 September 2004

The BioTECH Quarterly

Biological Engineering Major to be Launched

By Professor Linda Griffith, Faculty Advisor, Chair of BE Undergraduate Program Committee

    A curriculum for an SB degree in Biological Engineering (BE) has been developed and will be undergoing review by MIT administrative committees in the 2004-2005 academic year.

    The curriculum focuses on engineering based on the science of molecular cell biology, and is intended to provide a strong foundation for careers in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, materials synthesis and other areas where engineering analysis, design, and synthesis can help translate discoveries in basic biology into practical use and help build new tools to advance basic biology.

    Updated information can be found on the Biological Engineering (BE) website. Many departments in the School of Engineering now also include options that emphasize biological applications of the departmental discipline (e.g., 2A, 10B).

    Students interested in biomedical engineering – i.e., applications of engineering to problems in clinical medicine – are advised to pursue an engineering discipline combined with elective subjects in their area of interest, as biomedical engineering is extremely broad and does not yield a single set of subjects that can be considered as an SB at the undergraduate level at MIT.

    Until the SB is approved, no definitive information will be available about the enrollment possibilities for freshmen entering in Fall 2004. The core subjects in the BE SB are being offered as part of the BME minor, and also fulfill some departmental major requirements. Approval status will be provided on the BE website and through the BMES email list.

    In anticipation that the SB might be approved by the end of Spring 2005, informational sessions about the BE curriculum and how to prepare for enrollment will be held throughout the year and advertised on the BMES email list and on the BE website. Informational sessions will also include descriptions of bioengineering options within various departments in the School of Engineering. Advising materials are available in BE Headquarters, Room 56-651.