Environmental engineering science (EES) is a

multidisciplinary An academic discipline or academic field is a subdivision of knowledge that is taught and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined (in part) and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, ...

field of

engineering science Engineering physics (EP), sometimes engineering science, is the field of study combining pure science disciplines (such as physics, mathematics, chemistry or biology) and engineering disciplines (computer, nuclear, electrical, aerospace, medica ...

that combines the

biological Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of ...

chemical A chemical substance is a unique form of matter with constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances may take the form of a single element or chemical compounds. If two or more chemical substances can be combin ...

and physical sciences with the field of engineering. This major traditionally requires the student to take basic engineering classes in fields such as

thermodynamics Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, Work (thermodynamics), work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed b ...

, advanced

math Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

, computer modeling and

simulation A simulation is an imitative representation of a process or system that could exist in the real world. In this broad sense, simulation can often be used interchangeably with model. Sometimes a clear distinction between the two terms is made, in ...

and technical classes in subjects such as

statics Statics is the branch of classical mechanics that is concerned with the analysis of force and torque acting on a physical system that does not experience an acceleration, but rather is in mechanical equilibrium, equilibrium with its environment ...

mechanics Mechanics () is the area of physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter, and motion among Physical object, physical objects. Forces applied to objects may result in Displacement (vector), displacements, which are changes of ...

hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and drainage basin sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is called a hydro ...

, and

fluid dynamics In physics, physical chemistry and engineering, fluid dynamics is a subdiscipline of fluid mechanics that describes the flow of fluids – liquids and gases. It has several subdisciplines, including (the study of air and other gases in motion ...

. As the student progresses, the upper division elective classes define a specific field of study for the student with a choice in a

range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

of science, technology and engineering related classes.

Difference with related fields

As a recently created program, environmental engineering science has not yet been incorporated into the terminology found among environmentally focused professionals. In the few engineering colleges that offer this major, the curriculum shares more classes in common with

environmental engineering Environmental engineering is a professional engineering Academic discipline, discipline related to environmental science. It encompasses broad Science, scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiolo ...

than it does with environmental science. Typically, EES students follow a similar course curriculum with environmental engineers until their fields diverge during the last year of college. The majority of the environmental engineering students must take classes designed to connect their knowledge of the environment to modern

building materials Building material is material used for construction. Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, rocks, sand, wood, and even twigs and leaves, have been used to construct buildings and other structures, like bridges. Apart from natur ...

and

construction Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...

methods. This is meant to direct the environmental engineer into a field where they will more than likely assist in building treatment facilities, preparing

environmental impact assessment Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the assessment of the environmental impact, environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the te ...

s or helping to mitigate

air pollution Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...

from specific point sources. Meanwhile, the environmental engineering science student will choose a direction for their

career A career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work (human activity), work and other aspects of personal life, life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ...

. From the range of electives they have to choose from, these students can move into a fields such as the design of nuclear storage facilities, bacterial

bioreactors A bioreactor is any manufactured device or system that supports a biologically active environment. In one case, a bioreactor is a vessel in which a chemical process is carried out which involves organisms or biochemically active substances derive ...

or environmental policies. These students combine the practical design background of an engineer with the detailed theory found in many of the

and

physical sciences Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies non-living systems, in contrast to life science. It in turn has many branches, each referred to as a "physical science", together is called the "physical sciences". Definition ...

Description at universities

Stanford University

The Civil and Environmental Engineering department at Stanford University provides the following description for their program in Environmental Engineering and Science: The Environmental Engineering and Science (EES) program focuses on the chemical and biological processes involved in water quality engineering, water and air pollution, remediation and hazardous substance control, human exposure to pollutants, environmental biotechnology, and environmental protection.

UC Berkeley

The College of Engineering at

UC Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkele ...

defines Environmental Engineering Science, including the following:

This is a multidisciplinary field requiring an integration of physical, chemical and biological principles with engineering analysis for environmental protection and restoration. The program incorporates courses from many departments on campus to create a discipline that is rigorously based in science and engineering, while addressing a wide variety of environmental issues. Although an environmental engineering option exists within the civil engineering major, the engineering science curriculum provides a more broadly based foundation in the sciences than is possible in civil engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

, the major is described in their curriculum, including the following:

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering Science emphasizes the fundamental physical, chemical, and biological processes necessary for understanding the interactions between man and the environment. Issues considered include the provision of clean and reliable water supplies, flood forecasting and protection, development of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, causes and implications of
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
, and the impact of human activities on natural cycles

University of Florida

The College of Engineering at UF defines Environmental Engineering Science as follows:

The broad undergraduate environmental engineering curriculum of EES has earned the department a ranking as a leading undergraduate program. The ABET accredited engineering bachelor's degree is comprehensively based on physical, chemical, and biological principles to solve environmental problems affecting air, land, and water resources. An advising scheme including select faculty, led by the undergraduate coordinator, guides each student through the program.

The program educational objectives of the EES program at the University of Florida are to produce engineering practitioners and graduate students who 3-5 years after graduation: Continue to learn, develop and apply their knowledge and skills to identify, prevent, and solve environmental problems. Have careers that benefit society as a result of their educational experiences in science, engineering analysis and design, as well as in their social and cultural studies. Communicate and work effectively in all work settings including those that are multidisciplinary.

Lower division coursework

Lower division coursework in this field requires the student to take several laboratory-based classes in calculus-based physics, chemistry, biology, programming and

analysis Analysis (: analyses) is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it. The technique has been applied in the study of mathematics and logic since before Aristotle (38 ...

. This is intended to give the student background information in order to introduce them to the engineering fields and to prepare them for more technical information in their upper division coursework.

Upper division coursework

The upper division classes in Environmental Engineering Science prepares the student for work in the fields of engineering and science with coursework in subjects including the following: *

Fluid mechanics Fluid mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the mechanics of fluids (liquids, gases, and plasma (physics), plasmas) and the forces on them. Originally applied to water (hydromechanics), it found applications in a wide range of discipl ...

Mechanics Mechanics () is the area of physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter, and motion among Physical object, physical objects. Forces applied to objects may result in Displacement (vector), displacements, which are changes of ...

of materials *

Thermodynamics Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, Work (thermodynamics), work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed b ...

Environmental engineering Environmental engineering is a professional engineering Academic discipline, discipline related to environmental science. It encompasses broad Science, scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiolo ...

*Advanced math and

statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a s ...

Geology Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth ...

* Physical, organic and

atmospheric chemistry Atmospheric chemistry is a branch of atmospheric science that studies the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and that of other planets. This multidisciplinary approach of research draws on environmental chemistry, physics, meteorology, comput ...

Biochemistry Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, a ...

Microbiology Microbiology () is the branches of science, scientific study of microorganisms, those being of unicellular organism, unicellular (single-celled), multicellular organism, multicellular (consisting of complex cells), or non-cellular life, acellula ...

Ecology Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...

Electives

Process engineering

On this track, students are introduced to the fundamental reaction mechanisms in the field of chemical and biochemical engineering. Image:IGCC diagram.svg, Considering a more environmentally friendly process for coal gasification

Resource engineering

For this track, students take classes introducing them to ways to conserve natural resources. This can include classes in water chemistry,

sanitation Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation systems ...

combustion Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combustion ...

and

radioactive waste Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. It is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, nuclear decommissioning, rare-earth mining, and nuclear ...

management. Image:Luotsimäki.jpg, Using design knowledge to make better wastewater treatment facilities Image:Transuranic waste casks.jpg, Designing a safe way to store nuclear waste

Geoengineering

This examines

geoengineering Geoengineering (also known as climate engineering or climate intervention) is the deliberate large-scale interventions in the Earth’s climate system intended to counteract human-caused climate change. The term commonly encompasses two broad cate ...

in detail. File:Carbon sequestration-2009-10-07.svg, Sequestering carbon from the atmosphere

Ecology

This prepares the students for using their engineering and scientific knowledge to solve the interactions between plants, animals and the biosphere. Image:Ecosystem Componants.jpg, How to alter certain biological interactions in order to optimise survival of the system Image:Enhydra lutris.png, Examining how the harvesting of kelp effects the sea otter population

Biology

This includes further education about microbial, molecular and cell biology. Classes can include

cell biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living an ...

virology Virology is the Scientific method, scientific study of biological viruses. It is a subfield of microbiology that focuses on their detection, structure, classification and evolution, their methods of infection and exploitation of host (biology), ...

microbial A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic size, which may exist in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen microbial life was suspected from antiquity, with an early attestation in ...

and

plant biology Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science Natural science or empirical science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empiri ...

Image:Ebola virus em.jpg, Understanding the way in which viruses function in order to safely sanitize water supplies Image:Gram Stain Anthrax.jpg, Understanding the metabolism of bacteria in order to see how their proliferation effects the climate Image:Plagiomnium affine laminazellen.jpeg, Using the biological design of chloroplasts to design a more effective way of turning solar energy into future sources of power

Policy

This covers in more detail ways the environment can be protected through political means. This is done by introducing students to qualitative and quantitative tools in classes such as

economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

and energy and resources. Image:Supply demand.jpg, Learning about economics to determine the financial burden it might take to implement an "environmentally friendly" technology

Fields of work

The multidisciplinary approach in Environmental Engineering Science gives the student expertise in technical fields related to their own personal interest. While some graduates choose to use this major to go to graduate school, students who choose to work often go into the fields of

civil Civil may refer to: *Civility, orderly behavior and politeness *Civic virtue, the cultivation of habits important for the success of a society *Civil (journalism) ''The Colorado Sun'' is an online news outlet based in Denver, Colorado. It lau ...

and

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

, and research. However, the less technical math, programming and writing background gives the students opportunities to pursue IT work and

technical writing Technical writing is a specialized form of communication used by many of today's industrial and scientific organizations to clearly and accurately convey complex information to a user. An organization's customers, employees, assembly workers, engin ...

Notes

References

"MIT Course Catalog: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering." Massachusetts Institute of Technology. . 2008-2009 Announcement. Brochure. Berkeley, 2008. Engineering Announcement 2008-2009. University of California, Berkeley. .

External links

*Engineering Engineering and Science program at Stanford Universit

*What people go on to do in Engineering Science at UC Berkele

*Curriculum at University of Florid

*Curriculum at MI

*Curriculum at University of Illinoi

{{DEFAULTSORT:Environmental Engineering Science Engineering disciplines Civil engineering Environmental science