Biological and Environmental Engineering has an active program in International Agriculture comprised of formal courses, seminars, research projects technical assistance contracts, and service on international agriculture committees, both at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and in the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Furthermore, many aspects of departmental research and extension programs are applicable in foreign countries as well as in New York State. Emphasis is placed upon education of foreign and American graduate students who intend to work in "developing countries".

Major activity has concentrated on the problems of tropical water management in recent years. These efforts have been interdisciplinary with economists and sociologists, cooperative with host country institutions, and field oriented, in countries including the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Niger, Honduras, Venezuela, Rwanda, and others. Underlying the international work is the recognition that appropriate technical solutions can be developed only if the economic and socio-cultural environments, within which the problems exist, are understood and related directly to the problems. Improved water management is a special concern where the technical, economic and social interactions are of critical importance.

Biological and Environmental Engineering is currently conducting a major project entitled "Rwanda Natural Resources Management" on the African wetland. Many students and professors become integrally involved in these programs and often choose to do their research overseas.

Faculty with Research Interests in this Specialization can be found here