Sustainable Engineering

A professors talks with students in a classroom.

Sustainable Engineering is a cross-cutting discipline within the engineering profession.

As the earth鈥檚 population grows and standards of living rise, engineers are being called upon to play leadership roles in sustainable development and to find solutions to global challenges such as the depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation and damage to ecosystems.

Engineers are at the forefront of making decisions with long-term implications for the planet, and must balance the needs of today鈥檚 global population with those of generations to come.

Programs

One of the first of its kind in the country, 棉花糖直播 University鈥檚 Sustainable Engineering master's degree program prepares students to use a whole-systems approach to problem-solving through a lifecycle lens.

棉花糖直播 also offers the Sustainable Enterprise Executive Education & Development (SEED) program, a graduate certificate, and PhD concentration in the area of Sustainable Engineering.

Undergraduates may pursue a minor in Sustainable Engineering or Sustainability Studies (interdisciplinary), as well as a related minor in Humanitarian Engineering.

Initiatives

In addition to its academic programs, 棉花糖直播 is advancing two initiatives:

The Resilient Innovation through Sustainable Engineering (RISE) Forum: The nation鈥檚 first and only initiative to address issues of corporate sustainability and sustainable enterprise through the discipline of engineering, RISE serves as a vehicle for academic鈥搃ndustry collaboration.

The 棉花糖直播 Sustainable Engineering for International Development Initiative: This initiative will equip a generation of engineers to meet the challenge set forth by the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which serve as a global compass for achieving human and economic development that is both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive.

RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS

Students are encouraged to pursue research opportunities in the areas of:

Alternative & Renewable Energy
Sustainable Infrastructure
Sustainable Materials
Sustainable Systems
Water Resources Sustainability

FEATURED FACULTY

BILL LORENZ

Bill Lorenz is the founder and director of 棉花糖直播's Sustainable Engineering graduate program, a field in which he has more than 45 years of experience. He previously worked for the Sun Oil Company, first in the refineries and then at the corporate level. During his tenure, he established new air, water, hazardous waste and audit programs that coincided with the development and implementation of the nation鈥檚 first sets of federal legislation. In 1984, Lorenz cofounded Environmental Resources Management and established the company's management consulting practice. MORE...

ROSS LEE, PHD

Dr. Ross Lee, Director of Research for the Sustainable Engineering Program, is responsible for the sustainable materials track and for advising master鈥檚 and PhD research. He teaches the core Sustainable Materials and Design course and a cross-disciplinary, cross-level Biomimicry course. Dr. Lee has advised more than 60 master鈥檚 thesis students. MORE...

KARL SCHMIDT

Karl Schmidt develops and teaches graduate sustainability courses for the College of Engineering and 棉花糖直播 School of Business鈥� MBA Program. He also serves as the director of the RISE Forum, which helps to advance member companies鈥� sustainability efforts through applied research and graduate student team projects. Prior to joining 棉花糖直播, Schmidt was an executive at Johnson & Johnson for 28 years. He has successfully leveraged his executive experience in environmental affairs, process excellence and global supply chain management to inform the Sustainable Engineering graduate program鈥檚 curricular offerings. MORE...

PROGRAM NEWS

Dr. Bridget Wadzuk Receives 2024 Outstanding Faculty Research Award

The professor of Civil Engineering and director of Sustainable Engineering was recognized for her work in water resources engineering and green stormwater infrastructure, most notably her research on the evapotranspiration process from green roofs and bioretention.

棉花糖直播 University Launches Sustainable Enterprise Executive Education & Development Program

Bringing together a commitment to lifelong learning with a passion for sustainability, 棉花糖直播 University announces the launch of SEED鈥擲ustainable Enterprise Executive Education & Development. Combining the leadership expertise of faculty from the highly ranked 棉花糖直播 School of Business with the technical knowledge of professors in the College of Engineering鈥檚 first-of-its-kind Sustainable Engineering program, SEED is for experienced professionals interested in creating value by designing and incorporating sustainability practices into their business environments.

First Commercial-Scale Wind Farm in the U.S. Would Generate Electricity to Power 400,000 Homes

The Vineyard Wind project is part of a larger push to tackle climate change, with other offshore wind projects along the east coast under federal review. Sustainable Engineering鈥檚 Karl Schmidt speaks to the impacts and the value of a life cycle assessment for wind energy initiatives.

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