UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This fall, Penn State is launching a new bachelor of science degree in environmental engineering, which will be housed in the College of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The degree program was designed to prepare students “to plan, design, operate and renew the built systems that protect public health and the environment,” according to the program description in the University bulletin.
“In the College of Engineering, we saw a clear need for a dedicated environmental engineering degree focused on preparation in water infrastructure, sustainability and climate resilience, if students are going to lead in solving the global and local challenges ahead,” said Nathaniel Warner, associate professor of environmental engineering and faculty lead for the new program.
According to Warner, the program emphasizes infrastructure design and operation, with technical coursework focusing on municipal drinking-water and wastewater treatment systems, stormwater and urban hydrology management, air quality and emissions controls relevant to public health, solid and hazardous waste management, site remediation and the adaptation of communities to climate change.
“Penn State is unique because it now offers four distinct environmental engineering degrees,” said Farshad Rajabipour, department head and John and Harriette Shaw Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Our new environmental engineering (ENVE) degree is focused on sustainability and municipal infrastructure that complements our broader civil engineering (CE) degree with an environmental focus. In other colleges, Penn State also offers an environmental systems engineering (EnvS) degree for industrial safety and mining, as well as biological engineering (ABE) degree focused on food, water and agriculture.”
These opportunities include laboratory experiences focused on water quality and microbiology; hands-on training in artificial intelligence, machine learning and computational methods; environmental engineering capstone projects; internships facilitated through career fairs; and opportunities to participate in state-of-the-art research.
“What excites me the most is that this degree gives students the opportunity to get involved in meaningful work that affects people every day,” Warner said. “We want Penn State students to graduate ready to take on big problems and help improve communities in Pennsylvania and around the world.”
For more information on the degree, contact Warner at nrw6@psu.edu or visit the undergraduate student bulletin.