<p>I'm a high school senior and want to study designing new energy sources with an interest in Biomass. I would like to know what sort of major I should consider for a career in this field. I have researched Penn State's Energy Engineering program and it sounds very close to what I am looking for, but financially I need more options. I want to actually have the ability to implement solutions for our dependence on fossil fuels and create alternative, renewable energy. If you know of any programs or are currently in a program like this please let me know.</p>
<p>I don’t know of any, sorry 
I just wanted to say that that is awesome!! I think that’s what I want to do to - it’s one of the most important issues at hand today.</p>
<p>I want to actually have the ability to implement solutions for our dependence on fossil fuels and create alternative, renewable energy</p>
<p>Chemical Engineers study this. Look into that eng’g discipline.</p>
<p>Iowa State U is doing a lot with biomass research and is very inexpensive for OOS students.</p>
<p>[Biorenewables:</a> Iowa State University](<a href=“http://www.public.iastate.edu/~biorenew/]Biorenewables:”>http://www.public.iastate.edu/~biorenew/)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/[/url]”>http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/</a></p>
<p>[Biological</a> Systems](<a href=“http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/prospective1/engineering-degree-programs/biological-systems/]Biological”>http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/prospective1/engineering-degree-programs/biological-systems/) engineering is a potential program at ISU.</p>
<p>You might also look at programs in agronomy. </p>
<p>I think you will probably end up needing a grad degree for this field. According to their website, “Iowa State University established the first graduate program in biorenewable resources and technology in the United States.”</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/education/brt/[/url]”>http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/education/brt/</a></p>
<p>Rachel52: I think there will be a high demand for people trained in this field in the future.</p>
<p>Haystack: Thank you for the links! Do you know of any undergraduate programs to get me started? Or any idea of what to start with?</p>
<p>We have some related program at Illinois Institute of Technology, associated with WISER.</p>
<p>[IIT</a> WISER | Education and Outreach](<a href=“http://www.iit.edu/wiser/education/]IIT”>http://www.iit.edu/wiser/education/)</p>
<p>The degrees you would get are in a traditional engineering discipline though, often chemical engineering.</p>
<p>If you are interested in biomass, you probably should check the departments of agricultural & biological engineering at land grant public universities. While they might not offer a major program specifically designated as “renewable energy”, they might offer coursework, and possibly, a specialty track within the major. Most ag colleges will have such a department, but these departments go by different names at different schools, e.g., Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, etc.</p>
<p>Also, see:
<a href=“Majoring in Renewable Energy - The New York Times”>Majoring in Renewable Energy - The New York Times;
<p>but financially I need more options</p>
<p>What is your home state?
What are your stats
How much will your parents pay?</p>
<p>Chemical Engineering would be the best bet at the undergraduate level. Then you can pick a more specialized field for graduate study. Pretty much any engineering school will have ChemE as a major so this will give you a lot more choices.</p>
<p>I know nothing about this school, but they seem to have what you want: <a href=“http://www.oit.edu/programs/klamath-falls/renewable-energy-engineering/overview[/url]”>http://www.oit.edu/programs/klamath-falls/renewable-energy-engineering/overview</a></p>
<p>I think many/most univ that offer Chemical Engineering would be fine.</p>
<p>When my ChemE son was doing summer REU’s, there were so many for alternate renewable energy sources…</p>
<p>I would hesitate to major in something so specific like Renewable Energy Engineering because it may pigeon hole you into something so specific that it will diminish your employment options upon graduation.</p>
<p>First and foremost, I would limit my schools to those with large biomass/renewable energy research programs (and I mean large amounts of research, $10,000,000 + per year in addition to dedicated faculty and facilities). You are going to want to have undergrad research/employment in the field so start with those. I suspect that you will find this mainly at the land grant unis.</p>
<p>As the links above show, Iowa State is doing a large amount of renewable energy research and it is one of ISU’s research pillars. It includes the Bioeconomy Institute, the National Science Foundation Center for Biorenewable Chemicals, the BioCentury Research Farm, etc.</p>
<p>Majors at Iowa State to look at include…</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/prospective1/engineering-degree-programs/biological-systems/[/url]”>http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/prospective1/engineering-degree-programs/biological-systems/</a> - with an actual emphasis option in biorenewable resource engineering.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/prospective1/engineering-degree-programs/chemical-and-biological/[/url]”>http://www.engineering.iastate.edu/prospective1/engineering-degree-programs/chemical-and-biological/</a> - Chemical or Biological engineering</p>
<p>Or, if you are interested in how we can best grow plants and utilize our soil in the bio economy, then consider a degree in agronomy.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.agron.iastate.edu/[/url]”>http://www.agron.iastate.edu/</a></p>
<p>Mom2collegekids: I live in New York and the only school I have found in-state is SUNY ESF and that’s Bioprocess Engineering.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for their inputs. This is really helping me figure things out.</p>
<p>Take a look at both SUNY Buffalo and SUNY Stony Brook New York for Chemical Engineering. As for public engineering schools in other states, they may not likely offer much financial aid, but there are exceptions (when you have superior grades and scores).</p>
<p>A few private schools to consider that have made good financial aid offers to kids I know are Worchester Polytechnic Institute, U of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University.</p>