Biogenic Materials

In the light of the dramatic environmental and climate changes in recent years and the finiteness of fossil raw materials like petroleum, material sciences specializing in biogenic materials is seen as a progressive and visionary discipline. The course “Biogenic Materials” provides specific knowledge about biodegradable, eco-friendly, or environmental damage-reducing materials obtained from renewable resources. The course also creates awareness of sustainable use of resources among the future experts in material science. The technical details of extraction, transformation, shaping and processing, possible areas of application and disposal as well as particular structure-property interrelation of materials of all classes are further aspects that are covered in the course. Graduates of the course will possess the competences essential for developing innovative biogenic material systems for downstream users such as process engineers, civil engineers, and (business) economists. The prospective engineers not only acquire a deep understanding of the need to act sustainably, but also the necessary skills to do so.

Fields of training and research include the development of alternatives to petroleum-based plastics as well as the return to, the reassessment, and the further development of traditional methods of producing and processing materials. Furthermore, learning from nature, bioinspired material synthesis and structuring are also part of the course.

Deep insights into structure-property relationships and their application in technology, coupled with an awareness of the necessity for integrated, resource-conserving planning and acting from production to disposal are some of the key abilities of the graduates of this course; which make them the urgently needed experts in research, business management, politics, and teaching in a bio-economy defined future.

Which further expertise and skills will I acquire?

In order to fulfil their intended role as academically trained materials developer and materials tester, after completing the Bachelor's course “Biogenic Materials” the graduates will possess the following skills and competences:

• They have a comprehensive overview of composition- and structure-based material types and their typical properties, which serves as basis for comparative evaluations of existing materials.
• They are able to apply various techniques for structure determination, especially of hierarchically structured natural substances, and are able to establish structure/property interrelations.
• The graduates can accurately determine characteristic properties of materials. This provides the complement to clarified structures. Appropriate and accurate in this context refers to the usage in science and application as well as to existing testing standards to ensure the comparability and reproducibility of results.
• They understand the structure-property relationships of materials, which allows the development of new and evaluation of existing materials through the application of general principles.
• They are able to apply mathematical methods to formulate structures, properties, and their correlations.
• They are able to utilize the tools provided by computer science to carry out complex observations.
• They are familiar with the techniques of construction and design theory and mechanical engineering and therefore understand the requirements arising from the fields of application of the respective materials and can thus develop application-related material profiles.

With these qualifications, graduates have the abilities to evaluate and improve existing as well as develop new materials. The program’s curriculum and the study environment and broader research context at the TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability furthermore result in a special focus on materials that are sustainable in production and life cycle. In particular, they are qualified to take a more comprehensive view of current developments and research in materials science and place them into the context of a global bioeconomy, especially encouraging the development of independent, critical thinking as well as interdisciplinary approaches and problem solving.

Which professional opportunities can I take up with this qualification?

The Bachelor’s degree “Biogenic Materials” opens up different career opportunities. In addition to a scientific career/doctorate in (biogenic) material sciences and related branches of science at universities in Germany and abroad (e.g. via the master’s program Materials Science and Engineering at the MSE/TUM or Biogenic Materials at the TUM Campus Straubing) as well as in research institutes, graduates have ideal prerequisites for a career in the field of technological utilization of biomass. Experts for innovative biogenic material systems are particularly sought after in the fields of biotechnology and plastics processing as well as in the processing industry and plant and mechanical engineering. In addition, they also work for large industrial companies in research and development, in material testing institutes, in sales, in production or in technical procurement with career prospects right up to management positions; in medium-sized companies and in self-employment; in patent systems in Germany and globally.