The forever problem. A real mess.

Professor Kyle Doudrick’s lab has developed a method to safely incinerate PFAS-containing waste by mixing it with hydrated lime. This process fully breaks down PFAS at lower temperatures and cleans the exhaust, turning harmful chemicals into harmless minerals.

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An incinerator used for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) research in the Kyle Doudrick lab.
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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Patricia J. Culligan and two students stand on a green roof in New York City, examining data from a monitoring device. The roof has grass and plants, with the Empire State Building and other buildings visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

Optimizing for people: a conversation with Patricia Culligan on urban green infrastructure

As urban populations grow and temperatures rise, city dwellers will rely on cool, green, shady places as never …

Portrait of Professor Ashley Thrall, smiling and wearing glasses, a blue top, and a black blazer, against a light gray background.

Ashley Thrall named Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has named Notre Dame faculty member Ashley Thrall, Myron and Rosemary Noble …

Notre Dame Poverty Initiative announces new investments in poverty research

The University of Notre Dame’s Poverty Initiative has announced a new round of multi-year investments that will …

A home destroyed by Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 hurricane, which struck Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi in 2017. Engineers at Notre Dame have been leading assessments of structural damage following major hurricanes and warn rapidly intensifying storms like Helene and Milton are the new normal. (Photo: University of Notre Dame)

ND Expert: Hurricanes like Milton, Helene are the new normal

There is no rest for weary Florida residents who have yet to recover from Hurricane Helene. Less than two weeks since …

Ming Hu

Notre Dame researchers create new tool to analyze embodied carbon in more than 1 million buildings in Chicago

The built environment — which includes the construction and operation of buildings, highways, bridges and other …

Cushing Hall of Engineering relief

13 new faculty join Notre Dame Engineering in fall 2024

The Notre Dame College of Engineering welcomes 13 new members to the faculty this fall. “We are pleased to …

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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.

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Fighting For Those With Cystic Fibrosis Video