Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Historical State Timelines
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

1910s

  • 1918 Early agricultural equipment courses

    Service courses in farm equipment were taught by in the Department of Agronomy, but not by an engineering. True agricultural engineering courses were first taught in the 1920-1921 academic year.

1920s

  • 1920-1921 First agricultural engineering courses

    The agricultural engineering instructional program commenced in the 1920-1921 academic year. R. E. Bosque and H. D. Lewis were the earliest instructors, and they were part of the agronomy faculty.

1930s

  • 1937 Agricultural Engineering degrees first offered

1940s

  • 1948 Department of Agricultural Engineering relocates

    The Department of Agricultural Engineering moves to David Clark Labs.

  • DefaultDavid Clark Labs
  • 1948 Masters degrees first offered in Agricultural Engineering

1950s

  • 1957 Department of Agricultural Engineering moves

    The Department of Agricultural Engineering moves to Weaver Labs.

  • DefaultWeaver Laboratories
  • 1957 Doctoral degrees first offered in Agricultural Engineering
  • 1958 Tobacco bulk curing unit

    A tobacco bulk curing unit is developed by the Department of Agricultural Engineering.

  • DefaultTobacco field

1960s

  • 8/1967 New tobacco harvesting equipment

    William E. Splinter, on the faculty of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, with tobacco harvesting equipment that he helped develop. Throughout the history of North Carolina State University, research and development conducted by its faculty and students have assisted North Carolina farmers.

  • DefaultDr. William E. Splinter in field with tobacco harvester

1970s

  • 1979 Departmental History Published

    G. W. Giles wrote A Department Grows to Maturity: The History of Agricultural Engineering at N.C. State University 1914 to 1977. An updated version of this history exists today on the department's website.