|
Renewable Energy Agriculture
and biofuels made from crops are rapidly emerging areas of study.
Biofuels have the potential to decrease U.S. dependence on imported
petroleum and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which helps mitigate
concerns about global warming and climate change.
Biofuels are liquid transportation fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel made from a wide range of crops—including corn, sugarcane, soybean,
canola, and tropical oil palm. Technologies for cellulosic ethanol made
from prairie grasses are also under development and have tremendous
potential as a future biofuel resource. Development of biofuels poses
new challenges for agriculture to produce adequate supplies of food,
livestock feed, and now fuel, while maintaining and enhancing
environmental quality. Those who study biofuel systems will be at the
center of an exciting and dynamic industry that sits at the
intersection of agronomy, energy sciences, and environmental
sustainability, as well as international development.
The production of agricultural
crops for biofuel resources depends on agronomic practices (appropriate
soil and crop management, crop genetics, and biotechnology), natural
resource management (water, soil, climate), engineering (biorefinery
operations), animal science (co-product handling as livestock feed),
and economics. The GREEN program in Renewable Energy will provide
students with a comprehensive understanding of biofuel crop production
systems, their conversion to biofuels and co-product use, and their
contribution to energy self-sufficiency and environmental
sustainability.
A Nebraska Ethanol Facility
The Department of Agronomy and
Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a large number
of faculty with research and teaching interests related to biofuels. We
have world renowned agronomists, soil scientists, and plant breeders
who work with corn, soybean, sorghum, and wheat. Our field research
facilities allow us to conduct research at a relevant production-scale.
Our biotechnology program has state of the art facilities for
transforming plants and studying their performance. Undergraduate
students have opportunities for part-time work on these faculty
research projects during the school year, and full-time work during
summer months.
Back to the Top
The department hosts a team of scientists from U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) which has the largest switchgrass breeding program
in the country for cellulosic ethanol. In addition, the university
recently launched the Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research
(http://ncesr.unl.edu/) to enhance research and educational opportunities in the energy sciences across the entire campus.
Program Highlights
Students
interested in Renewable Energy Agriculture have several options for
majors and minors at the university depending on their interest. The
most common majors include Agronomy and Horticulture, Plant Biology,
Biochemistry, Biology, and Natural Resources. The university will soon
be launching a minor in Energy Sciences, providing students with
comprehensive knowledge of energy systems and associated environmental
issues.
Back to the Top
Career Opportunities
Those who study
Renewable Energy Agriculture will have the ability to pursue a range of
careers. These include traditional careers associated with the practice
of agronomy as well as additional career paths associated with the
biofuel industry and public regulatory agencies that oversee the
industry. Some options include: ethanol and biodiesel plant managers,
seed and agricultural input companies, crop consulting firms, federal
agencies (USDA, EPA, Dept of Interior), and state governments.
Graduates will also be prepared to undertake advanced studies at the
graduate level which would prepare them for careers in teaching and
research.
The biofuel industry is currently experiencing tremendous growth, not
only in Nebraska, but throughout the U.S. and throughout the world. The
biofuel industry will require a large number of well-trained
professionals to ensure both economic and environmental sustainability.
Majors
Agronomy
Horticulture
Plant Biology
Biochemistry
Biology
Natural Resources
Back to the Top
List of Classes
General Botany (BIOS 109)
Plant Science really has to start with botany. In this course the
student will be introduced to the plant kingdom. The course is divided
into the cellular processes and the concepts of classification,
inheritance, evolution and ecology.
Genetics (AGRO 315)
If you never thought genetics could be fun, you have got to take this
course. The genetics student will learn the principles of genetic
inheritance in both animals and plants, and learn of the significance
of these principles in the study of biology and agriculture. The
student will have hands-on experience with everything from fruit flies
to corn. Students will also be introduced to recombinant DNA and
genetic engineering of plants and animals.
Plant Ecophysiology (AGRO 406)
Plants provide our food, fuel, shelter, and clothing; they clean our
water and our air. In this class the student will learn how plants
manage to do all of this, and how we can help by taking care of them
and keeping them healthy. This course emphasizes the relationship
between plants and their physical, chemical, and biological
environment. Students will learn about nutrient cycling, plant water
relations, energy budgets, and carbon balance with respect to the
plant, soil, and greenhouse emissions. There are opportunities to get
into the field and use state-of-the-art testing equipment to monitor
the health of a specified ecosystem.
Wildland Plants (AGRO 442)
The wild plant species growing throughout the Great Plains and
Sandhills region are fundamentally important to the ecological
stability and productivity of these lands. Students will not only learn
the identification and classification of these plant species, but learn
their uses by Native Americans and ranchers for raising livestock and
most recently a source of renewable energy. The fragility of these
ecosystems will be addressed with respect to long-term drought and
overgrazing.
Agroecology (HORT 435)
The demand for our food crops for fuel will place more strain on our
land and water resources. Agroecology is all about sustainability.
Agroecology integrates the principles of ecology, plant science, crop
protection, and landscape planning to safeguard our food security for
generations in the future. In this course you will be introduced to
nature’s systems for cycling water, air, and nutrients through the
environment. You will gain an appreciation for biodiversity and the
complexity and fragility of food production systems.
Plant Biotechnology (BIOS 425)
Once you understand all there is to know about plants, you will have to
learn how plants can be manipulated to produce the products than
improve and enrich our lives. In this course the student will learn how
to introduce genes into plants using the latest genetic engineering
technologies. Students will learn how these technologies have enabled
scientists to engineer plants capable of defending themselves against
biological threats from insects and disease, and more efficient at
converting sunlight into starch and oil, the feedstocks for biofuels.
The students will take part in a dialogue on the social, economic, and
environmental impact of biotechnology.
Site-Specific Crop Management (AGRO 431)
Increased demand for grain production to support the conversion from
fossil fuels to renewable biofuels will require increased productivity
from our lands. In this course the student will learn how to use
geographical information in their crop production strategies. Students
will receive practical training with state-of-the-art instrumentation
and software systems for global positioning and precision mapping.
Plant Biochemistry (BIOC 434)
Plants convert sunlight and water into biomass. The biomass is the
feedstock for automotive fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. This is
the course where students will learn about the metabolic pathways
particular for plants, and how plants convert sunlight into food and
fuel, and how we may optimize this conversion.
Back to the Top
|
