Agricultural Engineering

So, I was researching outlets for working and discovered that there is actually a category of engineer known as the agricultural engineer.  They work in a variety of different capacities and are generally involved in:

• aquaculture
• farming
• forestry
• biofuels
• resource conservation
• livestock
• sustainability

And it hits me, I'm interested in all those things.  It reminds me of how my father worked for most of his life as a lighting engineer without recognizing that he was.  There are very few colleges issuing degrees in this field, but it does exist and people work in these fields, designing and implementing systems and testing and developing innovations.  It's very exciting stuff.

Apparently agricultural engineers (AE's) are involved in developing and maintaining sustainable agricultural systems.  Technology is constantly advancing and it's exciting to see all the new methods and techniques that are being employed to increase productivity while reducing expenditures, waste and environmental impacts.

Licensing etc.

Membership in ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) costs $150 for regular members my age and $25 for students.  PEI membership costs $30.  FE exam costs $225.  PE exam costs $?.

References:

• BLS - statistics about agricultural engineers in the economy
• Wikipedia - definition of AE
• NC State University - definition of AE
• AE licensing
• ONET AE info
• Career Cornerstone AE info
• purdue AE definition
• AE program at University of Wisconsin
• Environmental Engineering dot org
• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
• ASABE - Licensure
• PE examination subjects
• AE career resources
•