Are you passionate about helping the environment? Environmental engineering focuses on protecting the environment and human health by applying engineering design principles to create technological and infrastructure solutions. Environmental engineers prevent contaminants from reaching the environment and remove and treat contaminants already present to protect environmental and public health. We work in several different jobs after graduation, including traditional consulting, policy making and research roles for the government, for city public works departments and as experts who understand the interface between human society and the environment. We focus on improving and maintaining environmental quality using sustainable practices to ensure future generations can continue to interact and benefit from our natural resources.
Environmental engineering applies chemistry, physics and biology to creating technological products, infrastructure systems and management solutions for clients and the public. There are several sub-disciplines within environmental engineering, including: drinking water treatment, wastewater and solid waste management, air pollution control, soil contamination remediation, water resource management, hazardous materials management, and managing human interfaces with ecological systems. In the environmental engineering program, you will focus on taking courses that prepare you holistically to work with complex real-world problems we face today such as obtaining sufficient, safe water, and managing our energy and material flows. Key courses include: Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering, Biological Principles for Environmental Engineering, Environmental Fate and Transport, and Sustainable Design in Environmental Engineering. We also offer an Environmental Engineering minor for engineering majors who want to add an environmental component to their degree. Our major focuses on sustainable solutions for both the present and future, with key emphasis on how humans interact with the environment. If this interests you, please reach out to our department for more information.