Environmental Engineering Degree Research Articles

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): An Example of Curricular Inclusion in Environmental Engineering in Colombia

This paper presents a case study whose central axis is the inclusion of the subject of education for sustainable development (ESD) in the undergraduate study plan of the environmental engineering degree at the Santo Tomas University, Colombia (USTA). This study is based on a diagnosis developed from a survey conducted among students from USTA and 43 professors from 13 universities that offer environmental engineering degrees throughout Colombia. The diagnosis showed some gaps in ESD knowledge and its applicability for both students and professors; in contrast, participants had a significant understanding of environmental education (EE). Therefore, a curriculum review was also carried out. Once the problem was identified, an ESD subject aligned with the purposes of sustainable development (SD) was proposed. Finally, the acceptance of the subject that ESD students had attended was evaluated compared to other students who had not participated this subject. This research seeks to provide a way to fill the knowledge gaps in environmental engineering among students. Relevant results include the identification of a gap in SD knowledge in environmental engineering professors. In addition, students were found to be more trained in EE than in SD. Nevertheless, the incorporation of ESD contributed to a better understanding of SD.

KBR (Kinetics in Batch Reactors): a MATLAB-based application with a friendly Graphical User Interface for chemical kinetic model simulation and parameter estimation

The simulation of chemical kinetic models is necessary in order to analyze comprehensive chemical reaction mechanisms and perform the estimation of the kinetic parameters. In many cases, a chemical process can be composed of several series and/or independent reactions that requires a complex set of kinetic equations to be solved. Computer-based tools for the study of kinetics of chemical reaction networks have been used since the last 50 years. However, the educational tools in this field should be friendly for the user and easy to learn and adapt to practical cases, avoiding long frustrating learning curves. Herein, the main objective of this contribution is to present a Matlab® application for the evaluation of Kinetics in Batch Reactors (KBR), which will help students to estimate kinetic parameters of complex chemical reaction models. The KBR application was used in the Final Degree Projects of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Degrees at Rey Juan Carlos University (Spain). This application provides a friendly Graphical User Interface to formulate any kind of kinetic model for subsequent simulation in order to monitor the evolution of reagents and products along the reaction time. Moreover, the student will be able to estimate kinetic parameters according to available experimental data as well as to apply sensitivity analysis of those parameters for particular cases of chemical reactions in batch systems. Finally, the results can be exported for further analysis as a spreadsheet of an Excel® file (.xlsx).

Communicating Microbiology Concepts from Multiple Contexts through Poster Presentations

Accredited environmental engineering degrees require graduates to be able to apply their scholarship to concepts of professional practice and design. This transferable skill of relating what you learn in one setting to another situation is vital for all professions, not just engineering. A course project involving designing and presenting a professional poster was implemented to enhance student mastery in Environmental Engineering Microbiology while also developing communication and transferable skills vital for all majors. Students were asked to read a contemporary non-fiction book relating to microbiology and expand upon the book’s thesis by integrating course content, news articles, and peer-reviewed journal articles. They then were required to present this information in class using a professional poster. Students felt the project allowed them to synthesize and organize information, analyze ideas, and integrate ideas from various sources. These transferable skills are vital for students and professionals alike to be able to communicate advanced information and master a topic.

Trends in Population and Demographics of U.S. Environmental Engineering Students and Faculty from 2005 to 2013

Abstract Although modern environmental engineering was established in the mid 1900s, the field has arguably evolved into its own professional discipline only in the past 3–4 decades. During this time, the number of environmental engineering students, faculty, and practitioners has grown dramatically, and many environmental engineering BS degree programs were established. To better assess this growth, we have conducted an analysis of the demographics of environmental engineering students and faculty using the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Engineering Data Management System. One limitation of the ASEE database is that only students and faculty primarily associated with environmental engineering degrees and programs, respectively, are counted; therefore, students and faculty related to environmental engineering tracks within civil and chemical engineering programs are excluded from this analysis. From 2005 to 2013, the number of BS, MS, and PhD degrees awarded rose by 90%, 27%, and 39%, r...

A Strategy for Incorporation of ISO 14001 in Accreditation Process of Engineering Degree Programs

Sustainability of engineering programs in Pakistan remains in jeopardy due to different approaches used for degree programs. Whilst most institutions follow semester system and fulfil the relevant requirements, a few still insist in annual system. Pakistan engineering Council has developed an accreditation program which is currently being implemented at all institutions offering BE Environmental Engineering Degree. This paper highlights the facts that incorporation of ISO 14001 requirements into the existing accreditation program will not only help bridging the gap between institutional approaches but also make all the programs in conformity with international programs and our graduates will have better prospects of success in industry as well as in graduate studies at renowned international institutions. This will not only facilitate communication amongst similar institutions but exchange of faculty as well as students at any stage will also be promoted.

Engineering education: environmental and chemical engineering or technology curricula – a European perspective

Over recent years, universities have been incorporating sustainable development (SD) into their systems, including their curricula. This article analyses the incorporation of SD into the curricula of chemical and environmental engineering or technology bachelor degrees at universities in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states. Available textbooks of some courses were analysed regarding their content and pedagogical-didactical perspectives based on a revised Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domains. The research showed that both the universities and textbooks reviewed have room for improvement regarding SD incorporation into their curricula.

Diversity in Environmental Engineering—Successes and Challenges

Recent advances in technology and communication have made distances between places like Boston, Beijing, and Bombay less relevant and have firmly delivered us into the age of globalization. The global economy has brought great opportunities for businesses to create new partnerships while delivering their products and services to new markets in the 21st century. Engineering has emerged as a global enterprise, and employers have recognized the need to reshape their organizations to reflect the diversity of their markets. For them, diversity is rapidly becoming an economic necessity. For the United States, it is also a sociocultural imperative. Despite efforts by the government, academia, and businesses, the lack of gender and ethnic diversity in the engineering profession remains a major challenge to the future success of the U.S. economy. The proportion of women and minority freshman in engineering has declined since 1995 Chubin et al. 2005 . Some have attributed such declines to the limitations of the American secondary and postsecondary education systems Smith 2004 , which continue to move talent from school to the engineering workforce, but in the process, lose a disproportionate number of women and minorities. The Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors AEESP recently completed a study of the diversity of students and faculty of named environmental engineering degree programs Jones et al. 2006 . This study also evaluated gender and ethnic diversity in the environmental engineering workforce. AEESP used data available from the Engineering Workforce Commission, American Society of Engineering Education, U.S. Department of Labor, and the National Science Foundation to survey the number of women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans among the target populations. A previous study by this organization had estimated that the na-

An Initial Effort to Count Environmental Engineers in the USA

This paper critiques available environmental engineering demographics and presents estimated populations for students, faculty, and practitioners in the USA. Limited environmental engineering demographics exist because most data are collected for named environmental engineering degrees and named environmental engineering departments. American Association of Engineering Societies Engineering Workforce Commission (http://www.asee.org, 2004) has the best student data with comprehensive participation, and annual reports. Estimates for 2004 graduates suggest approximately 496 bachelors, 590 masters, and 119 doctorate degrees. However, many academic programs do not offer undergraduate environmental engineering degrees. Based on civil engineering student populations, the authors suggest that 1,245 undergraduates who will practice environmental engineering received engineering degrees (regardless of title) in 2004. American Society for Engineering Education is the main source for demographics for faculty; however, only members in standalone departments are counted, and the data were first reported in 2003. 2003 estimates are just over 100; however, the authors suggest that there are approximately 1,100 environmental engineering faculty based on Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors membership. For environmental engineering practitioners, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides a reasonable, 2003 lower end estimate (based on statistical samples) of 45,500. Based on population, the authors conclude that environmental engineering is midsized relative to other engineering disciplines. Recognized sources of demographics for engineers should be encouraged to report environmental engineering as a distinct category. Also, relevant organizations should work with EWC and ASEE to determine better estimation methods for those environmental engineering students, faculty, and resources currently aggregated with other disciplines.

Environmental engineering education in Spain

There is a growing demand for engineers and technologists who show multidisciplinary expertise to deal with environmental issues. As a result of this demand, most countries are adapting their old university programs on environmental engineering education. In Spain an official environmental engineering degree does not yet exist, but the Council of Universities is working to present a proposal, based on Bologna agreement concepts. The paper summarizes not only the future perspectives of environmental engineering education in Spain, but also the evolution of the approach during the last decades, which includes the role of the private initiative, the environmental sciences degree, and the intensification in different traditional engineering degrees. Finally, the paper briefly details and compares the syllabus developed in the only four Spanish universities where environmental engineering is offered as a non-official post-graduate course lasting two years.

Environmental engineering registration in Canada — The expectations of the professional engineer working in this field

The practice of environmental engineering in Canada is regulated by the 12 individual provincial and territorial associations/ordre, who are also members of the national Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE). Although CCPE has no regulatory authority over the engineering profession in its own right, it is responsible for establishing national guidelines for registration and for accrediting university engineering programs. The criteria for professional registration in Canada are presented in detail and include both educational and experience components. The educational requirements can be met through graduation from a Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board approved environmental engineering degree program or by passing mandatory examinations assigned by the individual associations/ordre from CCPE's national Environmental Engineering Syllabus. Generally a minimum of four years of satisfactory engineering experience, which has been supervised by a professional engineer who takes direct responsibility for the work carried out, is required. Public interest and public protection go hand in hand with the concept of professional registration for environmental engineers. Problems encountered by the associations/ordre in reviewing environmental engineering registration applications are discussed, and the approach taken by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (by example) in addressing these problems is reviewed. Environmental engineering requires a wide range of knowledge in both engineering and science, as well as effective communication skills. Life-long learning is essential to the profession, particularly considering the rapid introduction of new technologies and the advances occurring in scientific and engineering knowledge in the environmental sector.Key words: environmental engineering, registration, professional engineer, education, undergraduate, graduate, certification, professional experience, academic criteria.

Environmental engineering education in North America

The field of environmental engineering is rapidly evolving, and environmental engineering education programmes have been forced to try to keep pace. Keeping up with all of these changes has been difficult for many university programmes, particularly those that do not have a separate environmental engineering curriculum. As a result, many universities are establishing separate environmental engineering degree programmes or even creating a separate Department of Environmental Engineering. This paper describes current curriculum development activities in North America and efforts to accredit these programmes. It also describes the structure and operation of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP), an organization in North America that is dedicated to improving environmental engineering education.

A Five-Year Master of Environmental Engineering Curriculum

The master’s degree is essentially the entry-level degree for those wanting to practice environmental engineering. Although the BS/MSCE (environmental emphasis) path produces graduates in high demand by employers, certain parts of the environmental engineering discipline demand graduates with a more specialized degree program. In response to the need for a specialized, or “professional,” degree program, Texas Tech offers an alternative to the traditional path to becoming an environmental engineer: the Master of Environmental Engineering (MEnvE) degree. The courses in the curriculum (EnvE course numbers) are taught by either civil or chemical engineering faculty. The MEnvE degree is a five-year “freshman-to-master’s degree” program. The BS/MSCE (environmental emphasis) degree program and the MEnvE program essentially require the same number of credit hours and many of the same courses. One principal difference between the two programs is that the BS/MSCE path provides graduates with a broader civil engineering or chemical engineering background while the MEnvE program provides graduates with more concentrated preparation in biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, and environmental engineering. A second principal difference is that MEnvE graduates are focused on environmental engineering design. Thus, the MEnvE degree program is referred to as a professional degree program since graduates from the program typically enter professional practice rather than continue for a PhD degree.

Development of a new, applied environmental engineering degree program

Funds to develop new training initiatives are scarce, if not non-existent. This degree program reflects the commitment made by the staff of its originating department and the vision of Dr. A.R. Barren, P. Eng., who made it happen. This particular degree is one of a new breed, significantly incorporating industry in both its development and its presentation. Its success to date indicates that there was a need for this approach to providing an alternative educational program for current and future professionals. Developing a new degree completion program at the same time as the introduction of a new government approval procedure, presented some challenges. On reflection, both the internal and external approval processes were appropriate. It minimised duplication and verified justification to proceed. This paper outlines the process from identifying the target audience, through the development and approval process and concluding with its implementation. This Bachelor of Technology degree was a new credential in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. Its broad range of major elective studies allows individuals to gain knowledge in any four of nine topic areas. The balance of the program provides a general knowledge of engineering and science principles, integrates management topics and requires completion of an industry sponsored project. The applied nature of the course content, combined with the industry professionals that present it, ensures that the material is relevant and appropriate for the individuals from this sector who are participating. The ease of registration into the program, the frequency and modular format of courses that are offered provides a very high degree of flexibility to the participants. Accreditation of environmental degree programs for professional registration is still evolving.

Environmental engineering education at the millenium: an integrated approach

The rapid economic growth initiated by the Industrial Revolution has occurred within a paradigm of exploitation of nature for the benefit of humanity. However, a rising tide of ecological disasters has convinced society that human well-being is intimately linked with ecological well-being, and that society's long term future is dependent upon an ethic of sustainability. Sustainability requires more than end of pipe solutions, and environmental problems are invariably laden with social and ethical dimensions. The environmental engineer needs skills of integration, communication, and conceptualisation in addition to a traditional engineering background. Such a complex knowledge and skill mix is best promoted by a specially designed program. An environmental engineering degree program must impart the required knowledge and skill base and promote the intellectual versatility to develop appropriate technical solutions to environmental problems within existing ethical, ecological and legal frameworks.

Development of a new, applied environmental engineering degree program

Funds to develop new training initiatives are scarce, if not non-existent. This degree program reflects the commitment made by the staff of its originating department and the vision of Dr. A.R. Barren, P. Eng., who made it happen. This particular degree is one of a new breed, significantly incorporating industry in both its development and its presentation. Its success to date indicates that there was a need for this approach to providing an alternative educational program for current and future professionals. Developing a new degree completion program at the same time as the introduction of a new government approval procedure, presented some challenges. On reflection, both the internal and external approval processes were appropriate. It minimised duplication and verified justification to proceed. This paper outlines the process from identifying the target audience, through the development and approval process and concluding with its implementation. This Bachelor of Technology degree was a new credential in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. Its broad range of major elective studies allows individuals to gain knowledge in any four of nine topic areas. The balance of the program provides a general knowledge of engineering and science principles, integrates management topics and requires completion of an industry sponsored project. The applied nature of the course content, combined with the industry professionals that present it, ensures that the material is relevant and appropriate for the individuals from this sector who are participating. The ease of registration into the program, the frequency and modular format of courses that are offered provides a very high degree of flexibility to the participants. Accreditation of environmental degree programs for professional registration is still evolving.

Environmental engineering education at the millenium: An integrated approach

The rapid economic growth initiated by the Industrial Revolution has occurred within a paradigm of exploitation of nature for the benefit of humanity. However, a rising tide of ecological disasters has convinced society that human well-being is intimately linked with ecological well-being, and that society's long term future is dependent upon an ethic of sustainability. Sustainability requires more than end of pipe solutions, and environmental problems are invariably laden with social and ethical dimensions. The environmental engineer needs skills of integration, communication, and conceptualisation in addition to a traditional engineering background. Such a complex knowledge and skill mix is best promoted by a specially designed program. An environmental engineering degree program must impart the required knowledge and skill base and promote the intellectual versatility to develop appropriate technical solutions to environmental problems within existing ethical, ecological and legal frameworks.

Distance Teaching of Environmental Engineering Courses at the Open University

SUMMARY In environmental engineering curricula, pollution abatement technologies are best taught taking a holistic approach to the environment, since the transfer of pollutants from one medium to another will not eliminate the problem. This paper describes two integrated distance-learning environmental engineering degree courses offered by the environmental engineering group of the Open University in the UK. Distance learning is reputed to be the most cost-effective way of acquiring knowledge and is an especially attractive continuing education tool for working professionals. This is exemplified by the number of distance-learning courses now offered by a variety of establishments covering a whole multitude of subjects.

TOWARDS WORLD‐BEST PRACTICE IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Abstract: As Australia struggles to become technologically competitive and to raise its productivity to international standards, several reports have suggested that such productivity depends critically on the existence of an appropriately structured and trained engineering workforce. As a result, engineering education at all levels has come under close scrutiny and rapid change in the period 1987–92. The scrutiny has come from governments, industry and from the engineering profession itself. Some of the changes are consequent to wider administrative changes in education; others are inspired by industry training needs; still others have been brought about by the engineering education community in order to attract more high‐quality students. The binary system of higher education has given way to a unified system. The state‐controlled TAFE colleges are being brought under national standards. In engineering education a new three‐year BTech degree is being promoted to fill the gap between two‐year associate diplomas from TAFE colleges and four‐year professional degrees from the universities, because of a serious shortage of para‐professional engineers in Australian industry. Recent reviews and reports on engineering education have called for rapid expansion at all levels and a greater variety of courses. The use of competency standards is spreading from the trade levels into the professions, including engineering, threatening some traditional concepts of university education. The government has funded three Advanced Engineering Centres, modelled on institutes in other countries. Quality in higher education is under discussion, bringing the concepts of total quality management and world‐best practice to teaching in the universities. Continuing professional education is being rapidly expanded by the Institution of Engineers, Australia. Many more women are now entering the engineering profession, attracted by the humanisation of engineering courses. Environmental engineering and combined degree courses are proving very popular. The level of technological awareness is being improved by bringing engineering students to assist in classes in primary and secondary schools. Cooperative education programs between universities and industry are proving attractive and effective.