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Advising

All students are welcome and encouraged to meet with their advisor and faculty members in the department with any questions/concerns regarding the program, program requirements, opportunities for scholarships, undergraduate research and future employment. 

First-year Students

First-year students are advised by College of Engineering advisors, but after declaring a major, all biosystems engineering students are advised by biosystems engineering advisors.

Second-year Students, Transfer Students, and any student with the Pre-Biosystems Engineering designation

These students are advised by Dr. Alicia Modenbach, who serves as both academic and specialty advisor for these groups. 

Third and Fourth-year Students

During their junior and senior years, biosystems engineering students receive advising from two advisors. The specialty advisor helps students with career development; the academic advisor ensures students are taking the correct courses to graduate.

Academic Advisor

The student services coordinator (Dr. Modenbach) and the director of undergraduate studies (DUS), currently Dr. Joseph Dvorak, serve as academic advisors. Academic advisors are responsible for ensuring that students are on track to graduate. Either Dr. Modenbach or Dr. Dvorak review student schedules for accuracy and notify students of any issues before the semester starts.

Specialty Advisor

Students are assigned a faculty member who serves as their specialty advisor. Advising assignments are made by matching the faculty member’s area of specialization with the student’s desired career path. The specialty advisor provides advice about topics such as choosing technical electives, possible internships and co-ops and, when appropriate, graduate school. 

Specialty Advisors for Juniors and Seniors:

All students are welcome to consult the DUS about questions regarding any issue, especially issues that are not specialty-specific.

Picking an Area of Study

Some students arrive on campus 100% sure of what area in BAE they want to specialize in. Most students decide by the end of their sophomore year. If you’re still trying to decide which area is best for you, here are helpful links:

The following College of Engineering links may be useful:

The following College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) links may be useful:

Joseph Dvorak, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS)
107 C.E. Barnhart Building
Lexington, KY 40546
Phone: (859) 218-4349
Email: 
joe.dvorak@uky.edu