Undergraduate Design Spine for Biological Systems Engineering and Agricultural Engineering

Authors

• David Mabie, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Derek M. Heeren, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Deepak R. Keshwani, Utah State UniversityFollow
• Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Nicole M. Iverson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Rachel Padrnos, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Greg Bashford, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Taryn King, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Jenna Hefley, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Curtis L. Tomasevicz, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

5-2026

Document Type

White Paper

Citation

Mabie, D. M., Heeren, D. M., Keshwani, D. R., Diefes-Dux, H. A., Iverson, N. M., Padrnos, R., Bashford, G. R., King, T., Hefley, J., & Tomasevicz, C. L. (2026). Undergraduate design spine for biological systems engineering and agricultural engineering. White paper. Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosysengpres/89/

Comments

Open access. License: CC BY-NC 4.0.

This paper was reviewed by Evan Curtis, Instructor, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Abstract

Engineering education is undergoing a shift toward preparing graduates with demonstrated capabilities that integrate technical knowledge, durable skills, and the ability to adapt in a rapidly evolving professional landscape. This paper describes a comprehensive redesign of the undergraduate curriculum in Biological Systems Engineering (BSEN) and Agricultural Engineering (AGEN) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The redesign is grounded in a “Design Spine” framework, which distributes and scaffolds design experiences across all four years of the program to support progressive development of problem solving, systems thinking, communication, and professional skills. The curriculum is organized around clearly defined capabilities and threads that connect course-level learning objectives to program-level outcomes, ensuring coherence and intentional skill development. Key features include the integration of computational thinking, sustainability, and artificial intelligence (AI) fluency. The framework draws on established educational models and extensive stakeholder input to align student learning with evolving workforce expectations.