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Biological engineering is a broad field with biological engineers coming from a wide range of backgrounds, both science and engineering. Due to its intrinsic relationship with the health and food sectors, biological engineering is prevailing rapidly around the world as its importance and potential is realized. The Division of Biological Engineering at Monash University was established with the aim of facilitating interdisciplinary research and educational activities between engineering and biomedical/biological sciences.
Biological engineering leads to prosperous careers in research and industry, inclusive but not limited to the following roles:
- Agricultural: Power, machine systems, farm structures, climate control
- Biomedical: Clinical & medical technology - development and sales of diagnostics, medical imaging and image processing, medical IT and telecommunications, genetic and proteomic engineering in disease understanding and prevention
- Biochemical: Pharmaceutical design, delivery, process
- Biomaterials: Development and research, tissue engineering
- Biomimetics: Engineering design inspired by organic structure and function including human biomechanics and prosthetics engineering
- Bioprocesses: Food engineering, pre- and post-harvest handling and processing, machine design
- Environmental: Sustainability, bioremediation, energy efficient design, eco-friendly design, water supply and reuse, solid and waste disposal systems
- Forensic: Forensic engineering, accident investigation
Common places of work for biological engineers:
Pharmaceutical and biomedical corporations, research centres and laboratories, hospitals.
Common tasks performed by biological engineers:
Conducting analysis through measuring and understanding biological phenomena, systems and processes at the basic molecular, cellular and physiological levels; and undertaking synthesis to design devices/processes and/or develop technologies/applications to model, manipulate or apply to biological systems.
Job prospects:
Biological engineering job prospects are excellent in Australia and overseas, due to the high worldwide demand of development in the food and health sectors. Victoria, Australia, is in fact backed by strong government support to become one of the top five biotechnology locations in the world by 2010 (Biotechnology Strategic Development Plan for Victoria 2007).
"Victoria is now a global leader in health and agricultural biotechnology. Our biotechnology industry is valued at over $21 billion. We are home to one of the top ten biotechnology companies in the world by revenue and six life science companies with a market capitalization greater than $250 million."
John Brumby MP, Premier of Victoria (Biotechnology Strategic Development Plan for Victoria 2007)
Jobs in biological or biomedical engineering in Australia can be found at Seek . |
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