About the Department
Science and technology to feed the world, protect natural resources, and improve quality of life.
The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is Penn State’s home for advancing the engineering, business, and technical management of biological and agricultural systems through teaching, research, and outreach.
We are a small, inclusive group united by our fascination with the technology and processes that make life better for everyone.
We boast state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty composed of engineers and scientists with years of working experience in their fields.
Student success drives the department. Our undergraduate majors offer hands-on learning with real-world applications, excellent internship experiences, robust scholarship opportunities, and high job placement.
Our graduate programs offer master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees rooted in research through our core engineering, science, and management disciplines.
Penn State is a Tier 1 Research University. Students are highly encouraged to participate in meaningful research starting the first semester of their freshman year.
Meet our faculty, staff, and students, and learn more about our academic home. Welcome!
Latest News
May 12, 2026
Collaboration drives community-based bioeconomy innovation in Brazilian Amazon
An international project led by a Penn State team is helping to identify how community-based bioeconomies in the Brazilian Amazon can support forest conservation while increasing income opportunities for the traditional and Indigenous communities that protect and manage these landscapes.
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May 12, 2026
College of Ag Sciences, FAO mark one-year anniversary of Youth Food Lab
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences welcomed a delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, or FAO, to University Park last week to mark the first anniversary of the World Food Forum Youth Food Lab North America at Penn State partnership and to explore opportunities to deepen collaboration on global agrifood systems, innovation and education.
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May 11, 2026
Sustainable Labs Program concludes fourth year, expands impact across campuses
The Penn State Sustainable Labs Program continues to expand its reach across campuses while advancing efforts to reduce the environmental impact of research spaces. The 2025–26 cohort included 20 labs spanning multiple colleges, with seven labs recertifying after participating in the program’s inaugural 2022–23 cohort. The program supports research teams in adopting sustainable practices without compromising scientific discovery, with participation remaining free to all labs.
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May 5, 2026
Ag department head earns American Society of Civil Engineers award
Suat Irmak, professor and head of Penn State’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, received the prestigious Royce J. Tipton Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers at the 2026 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, held April 26-29 in Mobile, Alabama.
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Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Address
105 Agricultural Engineering BuildingShortlidge Road
University Park, PA 16802
- Email abedept@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-7792
