What is Civil & Environmental Engineering?

Civil and environmental engineers are responsible for the structures in which we live our lives. Our field includes experts in the soil, the foundation upon which – and in which – structures are built; designs that are functional, beautiful, strong, adaptable and resistant to earthquakes and other hazards; construction sites that are safe, efficient and utilize the latest technology; construction materials that get better all the time thanks to research advances; and much more.

All aspects of the transport of people and goods are affected by civil and environmental engineers. Thanks to the CEE profession, traffic systems of all kinds – road, air, rail and pedestrian -- are safer, more efficient and more cost-effective. There are many areas in which to make an impact – from the study of self-driving vehicles to the design of longer-lasting pavements to the improvement of public transit systems.

When natural and human-made disasters strike, we need our structures to be as strong as possible and our critical systems – such as water, food supply, electricity, communications and more – to be as reliable as possible. Civil and environmental engineers are always working to improve society’s resilience in the face of disasters.

Around the world, billions of people live without safe drinking water and sanitation systems that protect them from disease and safeguard the environment from pollution. Even in the developed world, there is a growing need for research and innovation in the treatment of drinking water and waste so that the environment and public health is protected. Civil and environmental engineers are working to improve access to, and the sustainability of, these basic human needs.

The concept of sustainability is an integral part of all civil and environmental engineering studies. With climate change, sustainability has taken on new significance, as scientists work to understand the far-ranging effects of a warmer climate. Civil and environmental engineers are at the forefront of that challenge, working to ensure the aspects of civilization upon which we all rely in the face of future uncertainties.