Welcome to the Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering!
The faculty, students, and staff of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering are leading the development, through education and research, of sustainable solutions to the most pressing societal problems of today.
Here in CEE, our students develop foundational knowledge that they extend through hands-on learning experiences. They are doers who want to make a difference in the word, but moreover learn how to think critically, define problems, and create socially conscious and technically sound solutions to infrastructure and environmental challenges. Our faculty and student research helps shape California and U.S. policy on and responses to a wide range of issues with a broad focus on ensuring the resilience of our infrastructure in the face of hazards such as climate change, earthquakes, fires, and droughts.
Our Department is an intellectually vibrant, highly collaborative, and increasingly diverse place where all students, faculty, researchers, and staff embrace the public mission of the University of California and have the opportunity to reach their highest potential.
Through the efforts and contributions of the CEE community comprising current students and our numerous and distinguished Alumni, our faculty and staff, and the broader University, CEE continues to thrive as a world-renowned program at one of the top public Universities anywhere.
- Our graduate program in Civil and Environmental Engineering is top-ranked nationally and internationally
- We are home to the UC Pavement Research Center, which develops innovations in pavement structures, materials, and technologies
- We are home to the Center for Geotechnical Modeling, which enables advanced theoretical and experimental understanding of geotechnical materials and houses both a 1-m and 9-m Centrifuge
- CEE faculty lead numerous campus centers, including the Center for Watershed Sciences, the Tahoe Environmental Research Center, the Institute for Transportation Studies, the Climate Adaptation Research Center, and the Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
- Our faculty have gained national acclaim for their leadership of the Healthy Davis Together wastewater COVID-19 testing program
- We are delighted to have one of our own, Dr. Rich Corsi (M.S. ’85, Ph.D. ’89), as the Dean of the College of Engineering
- Our many student groups help students build community, expand their skillsets and apply classroom knowledge in real-world applications. For example, CEE students lead the highly successful and impactful UCD Engineers without Borders team.
Fast Facts
709
Undergraduate Students
#14
USNWR Best Undergraduate Programs
131
Graduate Students
#11
USNWR Best Graduate Programs
39
Faculty Members
$25.5 Million
in Research Expenditures
11
NSF CAREER Awards
7
National Academy Members
Mission
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering integrates research, education and professional service in areas related to civil infrastructure and the environment. We provide the profession and academia with outstanding graduates who advance both engineering practice and fundamental knowledge.
Vision
Our identity is rooted in academic excellence directed towards: (1) research resulting in high-impact solutions for problems of public and societal importance, and (2) education of students who possess technical rigor along with perseverance, integrity, and social consciousness. The technical excellence in the varied disciplinary areas is anchored by a common theme of collegiality, collaboration, and an emphasis on public service.