Agricultural Engineering (AGEN)

Description: Introduction to the biological systems engineering and agricultural engineering profession through current issues, curricular exploration, and the engineering design process. Emphasizes foundational student success strategies, Excel-based problem solving, ethics, teamwork, and community engagement. Includes a hands-on project that connects engineering concepts with real-world applications.

Description: Builds computational thinking, problem definition, and systems modeling for biological systems engineers while introducing core tools such as spreadsheets, GPTs, and Python as well as data handling to advanced analyses. Practice technical decision-making, select appropriate computational methods, and strengthen professional communication. Address complex, real-world problems.

Description: Physical properties important to the design of harvesting, storage, and processing systems for agricultural crops; principles and techniques for measurement of properties including frictional effects, particle size, strength, moisture content, specific heat, and thermal conductivity.

Description: Developing concepts in instrumentation relevant to agricultural and biological systems. Fundamental concepts of charge, current, voltage, impedance, power, and circuit analysis within the context of biological engineering. Introduction to sensors and their applications. Data collection using modern acquisition hardware and software. Electrical safety and effects of electricity on the human body.

Description: Transition from structured problem solving to open-ended engineering design in agricultural and biological systems. Emphasizes mass and energy balances, computational tool use (Python and MATLAB), visual representation of systems, and stakeholder-driven analysis. Develop technical and professional skills such as teamwork, ethics, and communication.

Description: Introduces design principles for sustainable biological and agricultural systems with an emphasis on circularity. Covers process classification, material and energy flows, equipment sizing, and cost estimation. Explores strategies to reduce waste, retain value, and improve system resilience across agricultural and bio-based processes. Develop and evaluate circular design solutions that consider environmental and economic tradeoffs through project studio sessions, real-world case studies, and exposure to Nebraska's circular bioeconomy.

Description: Development of the concepts of stress and strain relevant to agricultural and biological systems. Stress analysis of axial, torsional, and bending stresses, combined loading analysis, deflection evaluation, static and dynamic failure theory. Practical applications in agricultural and biological systems will be discussed.

Description: Fundamentals of Power systems for machines. Introduction to fluid power (hydraulics, pneumatics), pumps, motors, cylinders, control devices and system design. Selection of electric motors as power sources, operating characteristics and circuits. Selection of internal combustion engines as power sources.

Description: Introduction to concurrent transport of energy and mass in biological and environmental processes. Modes of heat transfer, steady and non-steady state heat conduction, convective heat transfer, radiative heat transfer, and heat transfer with phase change. Equilibrium, kinetics, and modes of mass transfer, diffusion, dispersion, and convective mass transfer. Soil freezing and thawing, energy and mass balances of crops, diffusivities of membranes, photosynthesis, human and animal energy balances, and respiration.

Description: Introduction to soil and water resources and the engineering processes used to analyze watersheds. Soil water relations, evapotranspiration, precipitation, runoff, erosion, flow in natural waterways and through reservoirs, wetland and groundwater hydrology, and water quality. Geographic information system utilized to develop maps and analyze watershed characteristics. A selected watershed is investigated.

Description: Learn to develop solutions to open-ended problems in agricultural and biological systems. Key topics include systems thinking, risk management, stakeholder analysis, ethical decision-making, and professional communication. Integrates technical tools such as modeling, simulation, and AI-assisted design with professional skills including teamwork, reflection, and communication to technical and non-technical audiences.

Description: Practical experience, directed learning, and career exploration and development in a selected business, industry, agency, or educational institution. Activities must include a significant engineering component.

Description: Develop a systems thinking mindset of critical thinking and capacity to assess and impact complex food, energy, water, and societal systems. Topics will include mental models, system resiliency, identifying leverage points, and reimagining systems.

Description: Introduction to sustainability measurement frameworks with an emphasis on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Covers pollution and resource use history, system boundaries, inventories, and impact assessment methods. Topics include greenhouse gas emissions, water footprint, energy return on investment, and circularity metrics, with an emphasis on agricultural systems.

Description: Design of machine elements. Definition, analysis, and solution of a design problem in agricultural engineering.

Description: Principles and concepts of site-specific management. Evaluation of geographic information systems for crop production practices. Practical experience with hardware and software necessary for successful application of information affecting crop management.

Description: Introduction to the basics of embedded controller programming, and the development of Controller Area Network (CAN) bus systems in agricultural applications. Interfacing sensors with analog and digital signals, closed loop control of actuators, transmission and reception of CAN messages, programming of CAN messages in a distributed controller set up for sensor data acquisition, and actuator control will be studied.

Description: Characterization of wastes from animal production. Specification and design of collection, transport, storage, treatment, and land application systems. Air and water pollution, regulatory and management aspects.

Description: Engineering design for strength, economy, function and safety of light-frame structures; emphasis on wood, concrete, and steel elements; design project required.

Description: Application of heat, mass, and moment transport in analysis and design of unit operations for biological and agricultural materials. Evaporation, drying, distillation, extraction, leaching, thermal processing, membrane separation, centrifugation, and filtration.

Description: Analytical and design consideration of evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and water movement as related to irrigation and drainage systems; analysis and design of components of irrigation and drainage systems including water supplies, pumping plants, sprinkler systems, and center pivots.

Description: Use of GIS to create inputs to models such as HEC-HMS and SWAT. Processes to simulate hydrology and erosion in models. Development and calibration of models based on student's area of interest.

Description: Analysis and design of instrumentation and controls for agricultural, biological, and biomedical applications. Theory of basic sensors and transducers, analog and digital electrical control circuits, and the interfacing of computers with instruments and controls. LabVIEW Programming. Emphasis on signal analysis and interpretation for improving system performance.

Description: Definition, scope, analysis, and synthesis of a comprehensive design problem within the areas of emphasis in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. Identification of a client's engineering problem to solve, and development of objectives and anticipated results.

Description: Definition, scope, analysis, and synthesis of a comprehensive engineering problem in an engineering area of emphasis within the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. Design activity using the team approach to develop a solution.

Description: Subject matter in emerging areas of Agricultural Engineering not covered in other courses within the curriculum. Topics, activities, and delivery methods vary.

Description: Investigation and written report on engineering problems not covered in sufficient depth through existing courses.

Description: Independent project which meets the requirements of the University Honors Program, conducted under the guidance of a faculty member in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The project should contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field. Written thesis and formal presentation required.