Our Mission
The mission of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is education, research, and service within a collaborative, welcoming, and intellectually challenging community that benefits the diverse people, infrastructure, and environment of the state of Iowa, nation, and planet. Our department seeks to maintain an environment that enables and encourages our students, faculty, and staff to achieve their best, respects a diversity of opinions and perspectives, and is equitable and inclusive of all.
Our Vision
We educate the next generation of civil and environmental engineers.
- We hold that diverse representation and inclusion of historically underrepresented groups is not only essential to the goals of equity, but strengthens and enriches the education for all persons involved;
- We develop critical, creative, and compassionate thinkers and problem solvers who will boldly address future challenges to questions that have not yet even been asked;
- We cultivate students’ abilities to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives;
- We instill ethical foundations for future professionals, and impart the responsibilities afforded by the trust that the public places in civil and environmental engineers;
- We educate undergraduate students who graduate as dynamic problem solvers in civil and environmental engineering, who can also apply their education to a wider range of careers, who seek professional licensure, who become leaders in their organizations, and who possess the skills for lifelong learning;
- We educate graduate students as masters and doctoral students, who graduate with advanced knowledge in their chosen focus area, who are respected for their academic strengths, and who become leaders in the field of civil and environmental engineering practice, research, and education.
Service applies our areas of expertise for the improvement of humanity, civil infrastructure, and the environment.
- We connect cutting edge research to inform engineering practice and best policy.
- We educate and engage the broader public and pre-college students.
- We listen to diverse audiences in the broader public to inform our research and education, and acknowledge that the fields of civil and environmental engineering have historically failed to include the values and voices from multiple underrepresented groups. We seek to ameliorate and ever-improve the service of CEE to all groups to further a more equitable future.
Our research discovers new knowledge in cutting-edge scientific understanding and informs professional practice in all areas of
- We hold that diverse representation in research promotes improved scientific understanding and outcomes;
- Our research addresses grand challenges facing society;
- Our research improves public safety, develops infrastructure, protects ecosystems and human health, promotes economic growth, fosters sustainability, and creates more equitable environments;
- Our research involves the holistic mentoring of students in science and engineering across the educational continuum and serves practicing engineers.