Research in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Faculty Research

Our faculty have unique research areas, from reducing the impact of microplastics in waterways to the development of novel materials for use in lunar and Martian infrastructure. Sustainability is increasingly important for industry, academia and society alike, so we partner with Clarkson’s Institute for a Sustainable Environment to design interdisciplinary experiences and research projects. 

Learn More About Our Faculty and Their Research Expertise

Undergraduate Research

Civil and Environmental Engineering majors have the opportunity to do hands-on research, whether with a faculty member in our department or across the University. Undergraduate research projects often are multidisciplinary, allowing students to work with faculty both in the department and from other disciplines such as biology, business, anthropology, political science, mathematics and chemistry.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Research

Interdisciplinary research is facilitated through the Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Center for Air and Aquatic Resources Engineering and Science, Center for Advanced Materials Processing, Institute for STEM Education and the U.S. Army's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. 

Graduate students use state-of-the-art experimental and computational facilities, focusing their research on engineering problems and applied science topics that include:

• Bridge monitoring and infrastructure health.
• Geopolymer/Portland cement-free concrete.
• Strength of materials ranging from Antarctic ice to novel composite building materials.
• Indoor air quality.
• Bioenergy production and the associated life cycle environmental impacts.
• Fate of contaminants in air, water and soil systems.
• Air quality monitoring and modeling.
• Oil spill modeling and environmental impacts.
• River and ocean ice dynamics.
• Hydrologic, river and coastal processes.
• Structural dynamics and control.
• Uncertainty qualification and validation of infrastructure computational models.
• Transportation infrastructure: characterization of materials and smart sensing systems.
• Geotechnical reliability-based design and risk assessment.