Our Vision
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at the University of Notre Dame envisions a future where engineering and earth sciences are used to create sustainable and resilient communities that enhance quality of life and provide a safer home for all.
Our vision is centered on the theme of adaptation and resilience, recognizing the need to design and manage infrastructure that can withstand and adapt to environmental stresses and uncertainties, while fostering the coexistence of the natural and built environment in harmony.
We are committed to being a leader in research, education, and innovation that integrates civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences to promote sustainable development and enhance community resilience. Our department brings together experts in structural engineering, infrastructure, construction, coastal resilience, water quality, clean energy, planetary science, and integrated earth systems, including land, ocean, and atmosphere. This expertise allows us to develop cutting-edge solutions that address the most pressing global challenges.
Our research focuses on developing innovative technologies and strategies that promote adaptation and resilience in the face of environmental challenges. This includes designing and constructing buildings and other infrastructure, increasing the capacity of communities to withstand disasters, mitigating water pollution, improving air quality, enhancing coastal resilience to climate change and sea level rise, implementing clean energy technologies, and exploring the solar system to learn more about our dynamic planet.
We are dedicated to educating the next generation of engineers and earth scientists to be people of virtue, leading in the creation of a sustainable and resilient future. Our curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary thinking, experiential learning, and ethical leadership, preparing our students to address the complex challenges of the 21st century and beyond.
We strive to collaborate with stakeholders from academia, government, industry, and communities around the world to advance our vision. By working together, we can create a world that is more livable, equitable, and prosperous, where the natural and built environment coexist, and where innovative solutions are developed to address the challenges facing our planet, or in the words of Pope Francis, “our common home.”