Welcome to the Website of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke University, the oldest of the four engineering departments that make up the Pratt School of Engineering. We are pleased to share with you some of the exciting activities taking place in the department.
It has often been said that electrical engineering was the key discipline in transforming society in the 20th century. The discipline of civil and environmental engineering is surely poised to take center stage in the 21st. Although we recognize civil and environmental engineering as a distinct discipline and profession, it is remarkably broad and interdisciplinary in many ways. Consider the relation between energy, the environment, and infrastructure, and how the connections between these diverse issues provide a unifying core. It is interesting to see how multi-disciplinary firms like Ove Arup approach large-scale integrated projects such as Dongtan Eco-city in China, with sustainability a major theme.
We are in a time of change, both within Duke and in the larger world. We look forward to welcoming a new Dean of Engineering, Tom Katsouleas starting in the summer. In the Fall, Marc Deshusses is joining the department as a full professor in Environmental Engineering. The Teer building is currently undergoing major renovations that will provide much needed space for instruction and enhanced learning. We are also making preparations for renewing our ABET accreditation. Our students and faculty members continue to garner awards, and our graduates go on to achieve outstanding success. You will find examples of these accomplishments throughout this Website.
Annual Awards & Honors
Undergraduate
Graduation with Departmental Distinction
Graduate
Senol Utku Annual Award for best pre-Ph.D. peer-reviewed journal papers
Faculty
Earl I. Brown II Outstanding Civil Engineering Faculty Award
CEE News
Glass Named Senior Associate Dean...
Professor Jeffrey T. Glass has been appointed Senior Associate Dean for Education, Dean Tom Katsouleas announced on July ...READ MORE
Laursen Named Chair of Mechanical...
Professor Tod Laursen has been named chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Dean Robert ...READ MORE
Smart Home Gets Top Environmental...
Residence hall/laboratory receives state's first platinum LEED rating DURHAM, NC -- The Home Depot Smart Home at Duke University, a 10-person ...READ MORE
In the larger context, we might start by considering the title of the current strategic plan for Duke University: Making a Difference. For Civil and Environmental Engineering, such a concept is fundamental and needs no elaboration. On a national scale we see the recent publication of ASCE’s Body of Knowledge 2, a document that seeks to define what civil engineers need to know in our increasingly complex world. For example, the desirability of having the MS degree as a key qualification on the road to licensure is a development we welcome. The need for deeper and broader technical knowledge is well recognized by the employers of our graduates and serves to align and enhance the prestige of engineering with other professions.
The National Academy of Engineering also recently published their list of ‘Grand Challenges’. What is striking about a number of entries in this list is the extent to which civil and environmental engineering is an essential element: Affordable solar energy, carbon sequestration, the nitrogen cycle, access to clean water, and the improvement of urban infrastructure.
As I write this, the full extent of the typhoon damage in Myanmar and the earthquake devastation in central China are becoming apparent. The tornado season in the Midwest has been especially active this year. The design of structures to withstand such extreme events is an on-going challenge, and the Minnesota bridge collapse is another sobering example of turmoil when infrastructure fails to meet expectations.
So, the case for civil and environmental engineering is self-evident. We are up for the challenge and hope this newsletter provides some affirmation of the cutting-edge work, within both the educational and research arenas directed toward tackling society’s biggest problems.
Lawrence Virgin
Professor and Chair
Department History
The School of Engineering traces its history back to 1851 when the catalogue for Normal College, the forerunner of Trinity College and Duke University, advertised a Classical course which included surveying in the sophomore year as well as architecture and engineering for seniors. Similar offerings characterized instruction in engineering throughout the 73 year period of the institution's operation as Trinity College. With the change of name to Duke University in 1924, engineering underwent a period of vigorous development. Several milestones are noted below, particularly for civil engineering. With the first doctoral degree in civil engineering offered in 1964, the mission of the department began to evolve from that of teaching towards placing greater emphasis on research.
1927 Civil and Electrical Engineering departments were established. Mechanical Engineering instruction was given through the department of civil engineering1931 Mechanical Engineering department established.
1937 Departments of CE, EE, & ME were administratively grouped to form the Division of Engineering after rapid growth of all departments.
1939 The University incorporated the Division of Engineering into the College Of Engineering, and a Dean is appointed.
1948 College of Engineering moved to West Campus and begins classes in new Engineering Building (Old Red), now Hudson Hall.
1957 Through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering began offering work leading to the Master of Science degree in all three fields.
1963 The local chapter of Chi Epsilon, the Civil Engineering Honor Society, was established.
1964 Doctor of Philosophy degree first offered in Civil Engineering.
1966 College of Engineering changed to School of Engineering.
1969 BSCE, BSEE, & BSME degrees changed to BSE degrees.
1972 Engineering Annex Building opened. Several labs within civil engineering primarily hydraulics, ocean engineering and structural engineering relocated to the annex.
1982 Department of Civil Engineering changed to Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
1987 Department of Civil Engineering established an undergraduate program in architectural engineering.
1990 International Honors Program established for all undergraduates.
1992 Engineering building (Old Red) named Hudson Hall to honor Fitzgerald S. "Jerry" Hudson E'46.
1998 Engineering In The Future Committee established by the Provost to assess the School and make recommendations for future growth.
1999 Duke University School of Engineering named the Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School of Engineering for Edmund T. Pratt Jr. E'47.
2002 Construction began on the Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences.
2004 Pratt dedicated new Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences for alumns Michael and Patty Fitzpatrick.
2005 Pratt established Helicopter Observation Platform user facility.
Advisory Board
To assist the department, we have enlisted the resources of scientists and engineers involved in research and practice from consulting firms, research laboratories, and faculty members from other institutions, to serve on our Departmental Advisory Board. The members of the Board provide an external perspective on our educational practices and offer opinions on how to improve them.
Our current advisory board comprises:
- Mark Bishop, P.E., Vice President, Hazen and Sawyer, P.C., Raleigh, North Carolina
- Matthys Levy, P.E., Principal, Weidlinger Associates, New York, New York
- Ray Plaut, Ph.D., Professor, The Charles Edward Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
- Chris Squires, P.E., Senior Vice President - Principal, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Cary, North Carolina
- John McAdams, P.E., Principal, The John R. McAdams Company, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carlolina
- Barbara Mulkey, P.E., President and CEO, Mulkey Engineers and Consultants, Raleigh, North Carolina