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Department Civil & Environmental Engineering

Mohan Qin and Haoran Wei work with Ziyan Wu (fore) as she pours water for testing

Effective, safe, sustainable engineering

From the roads we drive on to the water we drink, civil and environmental engineers play an essential and transformational role in society. Our mission is to change the world through the creation, application and transfer of civil, environmental and geological engineering knowledge.

Aging infrastructure. Climate change. Clean water and air. Natural hazards. Energy. These are just a few of the grand challenges facing civil and environmental engineers, and UW-Madison is leading the way toward sustainable solutions.

Degrees & programs Department research

At a glance

Civil and environmental engineering department

30
Professors of practice who mentor our students
19
civil engineering undergraduate ranking among public universities
98
Undergraduates placed in a job or post-graduate studies within a year of graduation
9
civil engineering graduate ranking among public universities
11
environmental engineering graduate ranking among public universities
Facts & stats

Civil & environmental engineering news

Our research is making a global impact, especially in mobility, water and building, and energy, infrastructure and environmental considerations thread through everything we do.
All department news
Phillip A Levy Engineering Center spelled out on the entrance of the new UW-Madison College of Engineering Building
September 11, 2024

With $75 million gift for new UW-Madison engineering building, brothers’ impact spans generations and transcends campus boundaries

UW Crest with engineering background
September 5, 2024

Inspired by UW methods, FEMA’s new floodplain forecast looks clear

Zhaohui Liang works on a control unit
September 4, 2024

In the back yard, autonomous lawn mowers on the horizon

Angie Reyes Headshot
“The CEE department has provided me with countless opportunities to grow and prepare to be a great civil engineer. As an immigrant, I was not sure where I would end up for my post-secondary education; Now, I could not be happier to have the honor to call this department my home. I have been exposed to unique experiences crucial to my professional development, career, and who I am today.”
Angie Rincon Reyes
BSCE ‘25
Faculty members serving ice-cream at social event

Meet the faculty

Our distinguished faculty are leading innovative research that impacts earth, air and water resources; energy systems; infrastructure and more around the world.

View or contact faculty members