Fighting to improve hurricane forecasts

Professor David Richter’s research is improving hurricane forecast accuracy, giving officials time to evacuate and protect residents.

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Graphic illustration of a swirling hurricane with a well-defined eye, shown over a blue grid background.
NDSeed members at the entrance of a bridge the team built

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences develops technologies that improve people’s well-being.

Won’t you join us? Learn about undergraduate and graduate degrees.

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An image of the ice chapel at night with many people gathered for Mass and candles lighting the chapel.

Engineering in ice: Martin Soros on the building of St. Olaf’s Chapel

On a cold February night, more than 2,000 students gathered for Mass—nothing unusual in itself. What made the …

Tracy Kijewski-Correa

Tracy Kijewski-Correa appointed the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Structural Engineering and Hazard Resilience

Tracy Kijewski-Correa, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences at the University of …

Nighttime city view with many lit buildings. Two industrial chimneys, one black and one white, glow red at their tops while releasing thick white smoke into the dark, cloudy sky.

New tool tracks cross-border pollution, revealing unequal distribution of risk, responsibility

Microscopic airborne particles known as PM 2.5 contribute to 100,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. …

Tracy Kijewski-Correa, a woman with long, dark brown hair and glasses, stands in front of a colorful map.

Tracy Kijewski-Correa, President-Elect, American Association for Wind Engineering

Tracy Kijewski-Correa, professor of civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences, with a joint appointment …

The Vaisala FD70 sensor, a piece of equipment used by researchers in northern Alaska, is decorated with white string lights, red beaded garland, and red Christmas ornaments.

Shedding Light on Ice Fog in the Darkness of Polar Night

Ice fog—a curtain of tiny ice crystals suspended above the earth’s surface—reduces visibility and makes air …

Kyle Bibby and Jason Rohr

Two Notre Dame faculty named to 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers List

Kyle Bibby, professor and associate chair in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, …

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Events

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Mar
3

New Insights Into Atmosphere-Wind Energy Interactions via Virtual Lidar & Multiscale Modeling

Julie Lundquist, Johns Hopkins University
11:00 a.m., March 3, 2026
Mar
26

The Critical Role of Public Transportation in Our Communities

Emily Ng, Mass. Electric Construction Co.
3:30 p.m., March 26, 2026
Apr
16

Infrastructure 101: what infrastructure is, what it isn’t…and what it should be

Sybil Derrible, University of Illinois Chicago
3:30 p.m., April 16, 2026
Apr
23

Elevating the Performance of the Built Environment through Cyber-Physical Systems

Dr. Jerome Lynch, Duke University
3:30 p.m., April 23, 2026

Explore Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Civil & Environmental Engineering “big beam” lab in Fitzpatrick Hall of Engineering.

Research

Our faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students work on some of the world’s most challenging issues, including natural and manmade hazards; civil infrastructure; the environment; energy; water; and earth systems.

Students at all levels have opportunities to engage in research with significant practical and societal impact.

Undergraduate students are pictured exploring the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s East Side Access project, one of the largest transportation infrastructure projects underway in the United States

Undergraduate Programs

We offer undergraduate programs in Civil Engineering; Environmental Earth Sciences; and Environmental Engineering. As a student in one of these programs, you’ll be a part of a hands-on experience that involves field trips, undergraduate research, service projects, and national and regional project competitions.

Graduate student Sarah Hickam taking a closer look at samples in the ACE laboratory.

Graduate Programs

In our Ph.D. program, you’ll work with leading researchers in civil and environmental engineering, fluid dynamics, or earth sciences.

We also offer a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) graduate program designed to advance engineering professional practice.

Students observe tortoise on the Galapagos Island field trip

Field Trips

Field trips to places ranging from New Orleans and New York to the Midwest or Southwest U.S. and international locations (such as the Galapagos Islands) offer a first-hand look into your field of study and opportunities to meet and make connections with professionals in your field.

Spotlight on Research in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences

Fighting For Those With Cystic Fibrosis

In partnership with Trinity College in Dublin, CEEES engineers are developing a promising new strategy for managing cystic fibrosis lung infections.

Learn More

Fighting For Those With Cystic Fibrosis Video