Biosystems Engineering Design Challenge
The focus of this award-winning module is on designing and building a working bench-scale device that solves a practical problem through the application of engineering science to biological materials and systems. Students work in assigned interdisciplinary groups and meet once per week with a mentor to create a design, source materials, fabricate, test and operate a prototype and report on the project. Safety, innovation and the use of recycled materials within an allocated budget are important aspects. Individual grades are assigned based on contribution to team activities throughout the trimester.
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Who teaches it
Named by students in their reviews. These ratings cover this module only, and don't count towards its overall score.
- Junli XuModule coordinator
1.0Very poor teaching1 rating · Spring 2025/26
Reviews(1)
Anonymous Student
Sep 22, 2026
In practice
One hour of class per week, first 6 in the oconnor building and the rest in newstead(minus points for the walk). But the main thing was we learned nothing. The whole 12 weeks was spent on a group project with hardly any guidance. We had a mentor who said and did absolutely nothing. There was no penalty for anyone not showing up or abandoning the group halfway through. One group was left with 2 people while other groups had 6, and nothing was done about it. Also, you have to come in to do a presentation the week after term ends right before exam. The lecturer is very quiet and doesnt really teach. She went through a slideshow about researching (i.e. dont use wikipedia) on the first day and then just sat around and watched for 11 more weeks, hardly interacting with anyone. I think it was very poorly organised and run and I definitely don't recommend taking this module.
Advice
If you go against my advice and do take this class, assign someone reliable in the group to take detailed notes of every meeting you have. I mean every little thing. And start the report early pleeeeaseeee. Its like 20 pages minimum or something like that