Tyler Nelson - He/Him
Pursuing a Bachelor of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
Anticipated graduation date: Spring 2025
Where are you from? Describe what your hometown and/or family is like?
I’m from Bloomington, MN. It’s a large Minneapolis suburb right along the Minnesota River which allows for lots of fun adventuring. My family consists of my parents John and Stephanie, my sister Sarah and our dog Dino. My dad is very talkative and outgoing while my mom is more soft spoken. Anyone who knows me probably has a pretty good guess which parent I take after in that regard. I also have extended family all over the US from Illinois to Alaska.
Why did you choose the BBE major?
I chose this major because after taking an environmental ethics course at community college I was inspired to help improve the environmental sustainability of many of our societies common practices and/or processes. It appeared to me that the best way to do that was through engineering and BBE seemed best fit to help me achieve that goal.
What has been a favorite course, project, or experience in the BBE program so far?
One of my favorite courses so far was also one of my very first courses and that was Environmental and Industrial Microbiology. The content was super intriguing and I had the opportunity to try and isolate a microbe that was capable of degrading plastic which was super fun for my first semester in BBE.
What student groups or extracurricular activities are you involved in and why?
I'm currently a project lead for the student group FABEO. I've been a part of it for the last two years and have really enjoyed getting to know my classmates better through this student group while also getting to work on engineering projects focused on environmental sustainability.
What are your career goals after graduation?
Following graduation I'm hoping to find a job with a company in the Twin Cities area where I feel like I'm able to use the skills and knowledge I've acquired from BBE that also allows me to make a positive impact on our society and environment.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with the BBE community?
Advice for undergrad students. If leading a project or working on a research project is something you're interested in but not sure if it's for you. Best way to find out is to give it a shot and see how it goes!
