Student Branch:

The University of Kentucky BAE Student Branch is the organization for professional advancement of students enrolled in the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering program at UK.

Reasons to become involved in our Student Branch:

bulletMeet other students with similar professional goals
bulletLearn about engineering professions outside of the classroom setting
bulletGain leadership experience
bulletParticipate in state and national functions.

The BAE Student Branch gives students a voice in the agricultural engineering department and helps them to develop outside of the classroom into a person capable of leading a group of people. A big part of being a leader is being able to work in partnership with other people to meet your goals. Not only does the BAE Student Branch give essential leadership skills needed for the real world, but it also encourages a great team-building atmosphere as well. Whether it’s leading the group as president, or planning the socials and fundraisers, a member of the BAE Student Branch can find their niche and develop the leader inside.

Along with the responsibilities of students to their schoolwork, there also exists a need to market oneself and create networking opportunities that can promote growth beyond the years in the university. The involvement with one's own peers who share the same career interests and goals represent only the beginning of the valuable networking opportunities available within the BAE Student Branch. Whether it be working closely with faculty advisors, or meeting professionals in the field of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the various conferences held annually, involvement in the BAE Student Branch creates a well rounded student capable of achieving success in their future, whether in industry or academia. Students are encouraged to join at least one of the national engineering organizations associated with Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering: ASAE, IBE, ASHRAE, and/or BMES.

Student Branch Activities:

bulletMonthly Meetings
bulletFall and Spring Faculty / Staff / Student Picnics
bulletCollege of Engineering E-week and E-day
bulletSoutheast Region ASABE Student Rally
bulletMidwest Region ASABE Student Rally
bulletASABE International Annual Meeting
bullet

In order to financially support the professional and in-part the social activities, the organization participates in several fundraising activities. The annual lawnmower clinic provides preventative maintenance for dozens of Lexington residents near the end of the winter season. The student branch is equipped to cater your next chicken BBQ event. With a rotisserie oven that can accommodate hundreds of chickens and a "killer" BBQ rub recipe, the student branch can help you make your next big event memorable. Finally, the student branch sells t-shirts. So the next time you need to have your lawnmower tuned up, have a big BBQ event to plan, or are in need of a great Christmas gift idea, please think of and support the BAE Student Branch.

In addition to professional development, the BAE student branch plans several social events, from rock climbing to paint ball outings. As the saying goes: "All work and no play, makes engineers very dull".

National Organizations:

ASAE
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) is a professional and technical organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems (www.asabe.org). ASABE members have broad training in various engineering disciplines, and they all share a key commonality: agricultural engineers are uniquely qualified to determine and develop more efficient and environmentally sensitive methods of cultivating food and fiber for an ever-increasing world population. The organization is made up of several different technical divisions, Emerging Areas, Biological Engineering, Food and Process Engineering, Information and Electrical Technologies, Power and Machinery, Soil and Water, and Structures and Environment.

IBE
Biological engineering is an interdisciplinary field that uses both the life sciences and engineering fundamentals to define solutions to real-world problems. As a science-based engineering, the applications of biological engineering are extensive and include but are not limited to plant, animal, and microbial growth processes, separation systems, sensor technologies, and prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. The organization serves as a professional forum for discussion and debate of the technologies practiced and developed from biological engineering research. Members of IBE have the opportunity to network with both engineers and scientists, examine works presented by individuals with diverse educational backgrounds and perspectives, and contribute to the growth and success of the biological engineering discipline.

ASHRAE
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) strives to advance the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and related human factors to serve the evolving needs of the public and ASHRAE members (www.ashrea.org). ASHRAE is concerned with the same issues that concern Thermal Environmental Engineering in BAE at UK and Structures and Environment in ASAE.

BMES
In response to a manifest need to provide a society that gave equal status to representatives of both biomedical and engineering interests, the Biomedical Engineering Society was incorporated in Illinois on February 1, 1968 (www.bmes.org). As stated in the Articles of Incorporation, the purpose of the Society is: "To promote the increase of biomedical engineering knowledge and its utilization." At the University of Kentucky, Biomedical Engineering is a graduate level program. Undergraduates interested in Biomedical Engineering are encouraged to major in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering as undergraduates and then join the Biomedical Engineering department as graduate students. For this reason, BMES is another national organization that our students can join.

Updated 06/29/2009

Please direct questions and comments regarding this website to Dr. Crofcheck

This page is part of the University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering web at http://www.bae.uky.edu