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Sustainable Biomaterials B.S. Degree

What is Sustainable Biomaterials?

  • A field with great career opportunities where you can make a difference. There is a growing need to make products more “green” and renewable resources such as wood and other biomaterials provide a natural way to design and build innovative and sustainable products for our future.
  • Novel bio-based products are being developed that are based on renewable biomaterials to design and make aesthetically beautiful and earth-friendly products.   
  • The Sustainable Biomaterials major at Virginia Tech is one of the most unique programs in the United States that focuses on creating better performing materials with less environmental impact. 
Sbio logo leaves

Just about everywhere – in homes, for home furnishings, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, and automobiles. Large and small companies in these fields need well-educated people who understand and are able to design and make creative bio-based products, to manage and improve related business functions, to market those products to the public, and ultimately to allow these products to be re-used or recycled.

 

Hands-on Experience

The major has a strong focus on hands-on experience with the incorporation of laboratories into most of our courses. Internships, undergraduate research and study abroad experiences are highly encouraged for all students and are a great learning opportunity. Such experiences allow students to develop their professional skills, expand their real world experience, and develop industry contacts. We work with many companies to provide internship and permanent employment opportunities for our students. Internship opportunities are available with productions management, product manufacturing, sales and business management, green building design, wood-based composites and bio-products research. Our in-house research laboratories provide our students with a unique opportunity for hands on real life learning experience.

Wooden bridge project

After You Graduate

Over 90% of students in Sustainable Biomaterials have secured a job before graduation. Many students receive multiple job offers. Our students are able to excel in a variety jobs including: quality control manager, industrial operations manager, export logistics and sales, continuous improvement facilitator, business account manager, biofuel technician, industrial safety coordinator, building systems technical manager, energy management systems specialist, and environmental safety manager.

Up-to-date Curriculum

The core curriculum provides the basic foundation to design and produce innovative and sustainable products.  You then have the opportunity to focus your studies in several track option areas: