Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
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1910s

1918 Early agricultural equipment courses offered

Service courses in farm equipment were taught in the Department of Agronomy and not by engineering. 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 moved to David Clark Labs
David Clark LabsDavid Clark Labs
1948 Master's degrees first offered in agricultural engineering

1950s

1957 Department of Agricultural Engineering moved to Weaver Labs
Weaver LaboratoriesWeaver Laboratories
1957 Doctoral degrees first offered in agricultural engineering
1958 Tobacco bulk curing unit developed

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

Tobacco fieldTobacco field

1960s

1968 New tobacco harvesting equipment developed

William E. Splinter, professor in the Department of Agriculture Engineering, helped develop a mechanical tobacco harvester and a mechanical tobacco transplanter. Splinter joined the faculty at NC state in 1954.

Dr. William E. Splinter in field with tobacco harvesterDr. William E. Splinter in field with tobacco harvester

1970s

1979 Agricultural engineering 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 was hosted on the department's website.