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Story by Lt. Col. Christina Colclough Dean's Fellow for Communications and Assistant Professor, Department of Law and Philosophy
WEST POINT, N.Y. – To meet the Army’s scientific and technical demands for future warfighting, the U.S. Military Academy is transforming the Department of Chemistry and Life Science into the Department of Chemical and Biological Science and Engineering (CBSE). Moving forward, the department will expand its focus on biotechnology, chemical defense and medical readiness.
“The creation of the Department of Chemical and Biological Science and Engineering reflects the continued expansion and refinement of West Point’s academic offerings in support of the Army’s transformation initiative,” said Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves, Dean of the Academic Board. “We are continuously evolving our programs to best prepare cadets to lead on the modern, rapidly evolving battlefield.”
As part of the department’s transformation, West Point recently introduced a bioengineering minor, which graduated its first cadet in the Class of 2025, and the restructuring of the life science major to biology, with its first graduates expected in 2026. These changes, alongside over 200 years of chemistry and 20 years of chemical engineering instruction, formed the foundation for establishing CBSE.
The biology major focuses on the Army’s most critical system – the American Soldier. As a biological system, the soldier’s health, performance and resilience are central to mission success. Cadets study human systems, disease and environmental interactions, conducting research in areas like infectious disease, biotechnology and physiological resilience, often in partnership with military research labs.
The bioengineering minor integrates engineering and biology to solve complex medical and technical problems, such as developing medical devices, regenerative materials and therapeutic strategies. It supports Army priorities in medical readiness, biotechnology and other warfighter lethality and survivability innovations.
CBSE also sponsors the West Point Pre-Medical School Scholarship Program, preparing cadets for military medical careers through rigorous coursework in chemistry, biology, anatomy and more.
From biotechnology and chemical engineering to energy storage and medical innovation, CBSE advances West Point’s mission to develop leaders prepared to address the Army’s most urgent scientific and technical challenges.
The creation of CBSE is a part of West Point’s broader academic modernization effort, which aligns with the Army’s transformation initiative to divest outdated, redundant and inefficient programs while accelerating investment in emerging technologies. To follow academic program modernization updates and learn more, visit: https://www.westpoint.edu/about/modernization-plan/academic-program-modernization.
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2025 11:25 |
| Story ID: | 546505 |
| Location: | WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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