2011-2012 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

Scholarships, Fellowships,
and Internships
The department arranges for
undergraduate summer internships
after the sophomore and junior years.
Undergraduates can also participate in
graduate research projects under the
work-study program. Graduate research
and teaching assistantships, as well as
fellowships funded by the Department,
are available to qualified graduate
students. GRE scores are required of all
applicants for graduate studies.
Undergraduate Program
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree
in Earth and Environmental Engineering
prepares students for careers in the
public and private sector concerned with
primary materials (minerals, fuels, water)
and the environment. Graduates are
also prepared to continue with further
studies in Earth/Environmental sciences
and engineering, business, public policy,
international studies, law, and medicine.
The EEE program is accredited as an
environmental engineering program
by the Engineering Accreditation
Commission of ABET.
What Is Earth and Environmental
Engineering
It is now recognized by the U.S. and
other nations that continuing economic
development must be accompanied by
intelligent use of Earth’s resources and
that engineers can contribute much
to the global efforts for sustainable
development. The technologies that
have been developed for identifying,
extracting, and processing primary
materials are also being applied to
the twenty-first-century problems of
resource recovery from used materials,
pollution prevention, and environmental
remediation. The EEE undergraduate
program encompasses these
technologies.
Undergraduate Program Objectives
1. Graduates equipped with the
necessary tools (mathematics,
chemistry, physics, Earth sciences,
and engineering science) will
understand and implement the
underlying principles used in the
engineering of processes and
systems.
2. Graduates will be able to pursue
careers in industry, government
agencies, and other organizations
concerned with the environment
and the provision of primary and
secondary materials and energy,
as well as continue their education
as graduate students in related
disciplines.
3. Graduates will possess the basic skills
needed for the practice of Earth and
Environmental Engineering, including
measurement and control of material
flows through the environment;
assessment of environmental impact
of past, present, and future industrial
activities; and analysis and design of
processes for remediation, recycling,
and disposal of used materials.
4. Graduates will practice their
profession with excellent written
and communication skills and
with professional ethics and
responsibilities.
The Curriculum
The first two years of the EEE program
are similar to those of other engineering
programs. Students are provided with
a strong foundation in basic sciences
and mathematics, as well as the liberal
arts core. Specific to the EEE program
is an early and sustained introduction
to Earth science and environmental
engineering, and options for a number
of science courses to meet the specific
interests of each student. The junior
and senior years of the program
consist of a group of required courses
in engineering science and a broad
selection of technical electives organized
into three distinct concentrations,
representing major areas of focus within
the department.
Several Columbia departments,
such as Civil Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering, and Earth and Environmental
Sciences (Lamont-Doherty Earth
Observatory), as well as the Mailman
School of Public Health, contribute
courses to the EEE program. EEE
students are strongly encouraged to
work as summer interns in industry or
agencies on projects related to Earth
and environmental engineering. The
department helps students get summer
internships.
Technical Elective Concentrations
Students majoring in Earth and Environmental
Engineering select one of the
following three preapproved technical
elective concentrations. Note that
the eight-course sequence for each
preapproved concentration includes two
science courses during sophomore year
(fall semester) and six technical elective
courses during junior and senior years.
Any deviations from a preapproved
concentration must be approved by
an undergraduate faculty adviser.
Alternatives for junior/senior electives
within each concentration are listed, and
others may be considered among 3000-
to 4000-level courses of any Columbia
Engineering department, as well as
courses listed in the section “Courses in
Other Divisions” in this bulletin. However,
at least four of the six junior/senior
electives must consist of engineering
topics. Alternatives for sophomore-year
science courses are shown in the EEE
program table.
A student may also choose to
develop an individual concentration
conforming to his/her specific interests,
provided that it satisfies ABET
engineering accreditation criteria.
Therefore, this must be developed in
close consultation with and approved by
a faculty adviser.
Water Resources and Climate Risks
Concentration
Preapproved course sequence:
PHYS C1403: Introduction to classical and quantum
waves (SEM III)
EESC V2100: Climate system (SEM III)
EAEE E4006: Field methods for environmental
engineering (SEM VI)
EAEE E4009: GIS for resource, environmental,
and infrastructure management
(SEM VII)
EAEE E4350: Planning and management of urban
hydrologic systems (SEM VII)
EAEE E4257: Environmental data analysis and
modeling (SEM VIII)
ECIA W4100: Management and development of
water systems (SEM VIII)
CIEE E4257: Groundwater contaminant transport
and remediation
Alternatives for junior/senior electives:
EAEE E4001: Industrial ecology of Earth resources
CIEE E4260: Urban ecology studio
CIEE E4163: Environmental engineering: wastewater
CIEN E4250: Waste containment design and practice
CIEN E4255: Flow in porous media
APPH E4200: Physics of fluids
EESC W4008: Introduction to atmospheric science
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engineering 2011–2012