Civil and Environmental Engineering

Overview

The Civil and Environmental Engineering includes four areas in which M.Eng. students can focus, at Cornell University:

• Sustainable Energy Systems. Sustainable energy is a challenging and exciting field in which engineering students can apply their skills. A wide range of energy resources that do not emit greenhouse gases in their end use are under development in the U.S. and many other countries, including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, and geothermal, among others. At the same time, these primary energy sources must be adapted and transformed for applications such as electricity generation, heating and cooling of buildings, and transportation of passengers and freight. Trends in government policy toward reducing emissions, the willingness of investors to commit funding, and local support of or opposition to energy projects play a role as well. 

• Environmental and Water Resources Systems Engineering. Research and instruction in this area address the development and application of scientific principles, economic theory, and mathematical techniques to the management and planning of public infrastructure and environmental and water resource systems. Research projects include evaluation of engineering projects, groundwater contaminant modeling and remediation optimization, statistical analysis of hydrologic processes, hydropower systems optimization, water supply systems management, water quality planning, risk analysis, river basin and groundwater systems planning and operation, ecological systems management, sustainable development, and computer graphics.

• Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology involves the study of fluid mechanics of the environment and the associated application to hydraulics, hydrology, coastal oceanography, and meteorology as related to the we

Learning Outcomes

• Mastery and Application of Core Disciplinary Knowledge

• Problem Formulation and Organization

• Collaborative Problem Solving and Issue Resolution

• Communication of Knowledge, Ideas and Decision Justification

• Preparation for Self-directed Learning and Professional Development