Iowa State University and Purdue tied for the top spot on U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best undergraduate biological and agricultural programs in the country.
The report considered undergraduate schools where the highest engineering degree offered is a doctorate. The programs also had to be dedicated to educating students on problems relating to the life sciences.
“This is a tremendous achievement for Iowa State,” said school President Steven Leath. “This department represents a critical interface of two of our colleges with national reputations for excellence, using their combined expertise to pursue leading-edge work that will help feed and fuel a rapidly growing global population. Being recognized as the top program in the nation confirms Iowa State’s legacy of distinction in this field – and is a testimony to the passion and knowledge our experts bring to their work.”
At Iowa State, the agricultural and biosystems engineering department focuses on real-life issues facing the world, including food production, processing, and storage. The school is also executing research efforts on agricultural water quality and management, grain handling, and agricultural safety.
On the U.S. News and World Report’s list of best undergraduate biological/agricultural programs, the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Texas A&M University-College Station, and the University of Florida were also in the top five. Annually, the publication ranks schools around the world to provide readers with insight into the best facilities for education.