The need to rigorously address the several current environmental challenges faced by society promoted the establishment of environmental engineering in the academic setting as an essential entity of intellectual inquiry. Environmental engineering has been identified by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) as a crucial field of study for the 21st century, and several environmental engineering problems have been included in the list of the NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering of this century[1]. The NAE identifies five pressing challenges of our generation that environmental engineers are uniquely poised to help advance: sustainably supply food, water, and energy; curb climate change and adapt to its impacts; design a future without pollution and waste; create efficient, healthy, resilient cities; and foster informed decisions and actions. Environmental engineers are in high demand in industry, with the profession being consistently listed among the top 10 most in-demand engineering jobs and top 10 highest-paying engineering jobs according to several rankings (US NEWS).
Environmental engineers are poised to address the critical environmental problems that impact the health and well-being of modern societies and the quality of the natural environment, including issues such as air and water pollution control, renewable energy, wastewater treatment and management, hazardous waste disposal, and mitigating the impact on the environment of industries and climate change. The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering (BSENVE) consists of a broad variety of coursework to train innovative problem-solvers with a strong environmental engineering foundation who are well-prepared for their path after graduation.
Our faculty are amongst the top researchers in the nation, and they will work with you to learn environmental engineering principles and to create opportunities to help you discover your career path. Our department has 13 established research groups, including major centers such as the NSF-funded NEWT Center, the SSPEED Center, the WaTER Institute, and the Brine Chemistry Consortium. These groups and centers offer our undergraduates access to an expanding network of resources and opportunities to develop skills, broaden experiences, refine career focus, and expand career paths.
Areas of Specialization
- Water Quality
- Air, Energy, Climate, and Sustainability
- Environmental Infrastructure, Disasters, and Risk
- Environmental Management
As a newly introduced program the BSENVE degree is not currently accredited. Accreditation of a program plays a role in the engineering licensure process. Not being accredited implies that, in most states, graduates need to acquire additional engineering experience in order to become licensed when compared to the experience requirement associated with ABET-accredited programs. The licensure requirements and rules for the state of Texas are available at https://pels.texas.gov/
Engineering licensure is relevant for graduates working in engineering roles that provide direct services to the public. For engineers working on environmental consulting, licensure is generally not required if the work carried out does not involve direct services to the public. Students interested in the BSENVE are encouraged to contact faculty, employers, and/or engineers in their area of interest for more information about the program.
Contact:
Olga Trejo, Program Administrator, olga.c.trejo@rice.edu
Dr. Jorge Loyo, Program Advisor, Jorge.Loyo@rice.edu
Dr. Daniel Cohan, Program Advisor, Cohan@rice.edu