Academic Advisor
Tracene Marshall
612-625-0266
10A Green Hall
Major Coordinators
Bob Seavey
612-624-3028
203 Kaufert Lab
Pat Huelman
612-624-1286
612-624-9298
40 Skok Hall
Admissions
CFANS Office of Admissions
612-624-6768
Program Description
Bio-based Products are materials, chemicals and energy derived from renewable bio-resources including forestry, agriculture and other biomass. Much of the commercial products and energy that we use today from fast depleting fossil fuels can be derived from renewable bio-resources. The molecular building blocks and components of biomass can be harnessed to heat our homes, run our cars, light our buildings and provide industrial and consumer products. These products include fibers and fiber-based products, paper, board, engineered wood, structural panels, wood-based composites, renewable plastics, and bio-derived chemicals and fuels. This major provides students strong foundation in the sustainable utilization of bio-resources while protecting the environment.
Areas of Specialization
Students choose from two areas of specialization:
- Marketing and Management: combines coursework in liberal arts, basic sciences, communications, and business. Students learn about the physical and social aspects of renewable bio-based products and resources, and the combination of marketing and sales courses with technical bio-based products engineering coursework prepares them for the growing bio-based products industries.
- Residential Building Science and Technology: designed to investigate the important relationships between people, their homes, and the environment. From a solid scientific and engineering base, this interdisciplinary program builds critical thinking skills and helps students explore the opportunities that can enhance the performance of houses. The curriculum draws upon a wide range of resources across the University and includes physical science, social science, management, marketing, communications, material sciences, and engineering coursework. The core residential building courses focus on housing policy and design; architecture, building materials and construction methods; building dynamics such as heat flow, moisture movement, and air quality; and project management.
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