Overview
Why WPI?
Historically, environmental engineers have pursued study in Civil Engineering, often with a focus on water and wastewater systems, or Chemical Engineering, often with a focus on industrial design. While this discretization of the field may have been sufficient in the past, environmental engineers of the 21st century are faced with challenges that span multiple disciplines, and environmental engineering has truly emerged as its own engineering specialty.
Environmental engineers are challenged with protection of public health and protection, restoration and conservation of environmental systems. At WPI, the program strengths include water and wastewater treatment, unit operations, water resource systems, pollutant transport and transformation, remediation, pollution prevention, and air quality engineering. These issues that have emerged and continue to emerge in environmental engineering are complex and require professionals to integrate knowledge from the sciences, mathematics, engineering, humanities and social sciences.
The environmental engineering program at WPI focuses on the interrelationships between human activities and the potential damage to essential resources. First and foremost, environmental engineers require a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and engineering concepts. However, engineering solutions need to be applied with a focus on improving the quality of life for humans while also preserving the quality of the environment that we live in. In order to fully embrace these concepts, study in the humanities is no longer a luxury but a necessity – to understand the history of environmental decision making, philosophical and religious debates on the environment and the expression of environmental issues through literature. In the social sciences, environmental engineers need exposure to economics, government, law, and system dynamics in order to fully understand the scope of the problems they are undertaking. Not only do these disciplines prepare students to be better problem solvers, but they also prepare them to engage in critical dialogue with other environmental professionals – from lawyers to politicians to economists to our neighbors and friends.
WPI is a prime university for the study of environmental engineering. It’s rich history in engineering and the sciences provides the core foundation for technical study of the environment. But, students at WPI will gain much more than a rigorous engineering degree. The combination of project work and independent study opportunities in the humanities, social sciences and engineering provides students with a richer, more integrated course of study than can be found elsewhere. Environmental coursework can be pursued as early as the first year, through great problem seminars among other courses. In the junior year, the Interactive Qualifying Project is the ideal opportunity for students to embrace the interdisciplinary aspects of environmental problems and understand the impact of engineering solutions on people and communities. Finally, the Major Qualifying Project provides students with a real-world problem where they can apply their expertise in the unique and emerging discipline of environmental engineering. In comparison to other degree programs which may include a senior design project only within the confines of a classroom experience, the WPI projects’ program offers a significantly richer project experience in environmental engineering – projects with great depth and complexity that students are likely to see in their post-graduation pursuits.
WPI is the ideal place to study environmental engineering. WPI has a comprehensive and integrated curriculum not only of coursework but of independent pursuits in a breadth of disciplines, requiring students to demonstrate critical thought and engagement in engineering, the humanities and the social sciences. WPI’s program prepares students for the multidisciplinary arena in which environmental engineers work, and engages them to lead the field of environmental engineering in the years to come.
After Graduation
The EVE degree program prepares students for careers in the private and public sectors, consulting, industry and advanced graduate study. Graduates of the EVE program will have opportunities to work in a wide variety of settings, on pollution reduction and prevention, environmental impacts, and environmental control systems. Our graduates are employed by top organizations, including Tighe & Bond, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and CH2M Hill.
Potential employers for Environmental Engineering graduates
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: September 24, 2007 10:50:43