DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND GEO- ENGINEERING·
Inspired and Innovative Engineering for Society: Learn, Discover, Transform
Here, the faculty, staff, and students embody engineering for society. Civil engineers design and operate the infrastructure – bridges, roads, dams, etc. – on which quality of life and economic growth rely. Environmental engineers provide safe drinking water and waste water systems that are necessary for health and human prosperity. Geoengineers advance innovative use of underground space and safe recovery of earth resources. In many ways, civil engineers, environmental engineers, and geoengineers have provided the bedrock on which our modern society has flourished. In the US alone, facilities that maintain our standard of living are valued at several trillion dollars, with a substantial portion of these assets under the stewardship of civil, environmental, and geo- engineering professionals. New challenges, such as human population growth, unprecedented resource consumption, increased urbanization, water scarcity, and coastal hazards, demand innovative solutions to support human well-being while providing for a resilient planet. Mega-cities must be developed with flexibility to sustain quality of life as infrastructure grows and ages. Transportation networks must be designed to support movement of goods and people quickly and safely with minimal environmental impact. Extreme events must be seen in a new light and combated with smart structural and environmental solutions. As a society, we have become more aware of what is at risk if we do not attend to our infrastructure and the environment in a way that not only maintains but also enforces security under stresses that were not imagined a few decades ago. In the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, our mission is to learn concepts and methods, discover solutions and processes, and transform the world by addressing critical challenges in designing and protecting our infrastructure, environment, water and earth resources. Our vision is inspired and innovative engineering for society.
