- Department of Civil Engineering
- University of New Mexico
- 210 University Blvd NE
- Albuquerque, NM 87106
- Ph (505) 277-2722
- Fax (505) 277-1988
- Email: civil@unm.edu
Welcome to the UNM Department of Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines. Civil Engineers design, build, and protect the infrastructure upon which modern society depends. UNM’s Civil Engineering Department fosters an environment of critical thinking and problem solving. We are home to state-of-the-art technology, impressive research facilities, friendly and motivated faculty, and a diverse student body dedicated to problem solving and making a difference in the world. It is the passion of our faculty and students that truly drives innovation within the CE Department.
Ever mindful of the future of civil engineering and construction, our Department is continuing to increase its focus on sustainable infrastructure . We offer active research programs in construction, environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources engineering – all of which include a strong sustainability component. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about the comprehensive programs our Department offers.
Upcoming Events
Senior Design Presentations
Date: Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: Centennial Engineering Center Auditorium
To culminate a semester of hard work, seniors in the department will be
showcasing their final projects. Come and check out the impressive projects
completed by our students!
UNM School of Engineering Annual Awards
Date: Friday, May 4, 2012
Time: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Centennial Engineering Courtyard
Join students, faculty, and staff for the SOE annual awards ceremony in the
Centennial courtyard. Food will be provided.
CE Department News
UNM Student Group Engineers Without Borders Featured in the Albuquerque Journal
4-17-12
- The student group Engineers Without Borders (EWB) was recently featured in
an Albuquerque Journal aritcle for the organization's work on a clearn
drinking water project in Bolivia. The article highlights the ongoing,
impressive work that UNM students have done to bring clean drinking water to
the Tsimane people in Bolivia. Quoted in the article are civil engineering
students Kent Steinhaus (EWB treasurer, featured in photo above)
and Ryan Webb (EWB president) along with Kelly Isaacson, former UNM student
and current professional project mentor to the group.
You can access the article
here with a simple trial pass. To learn more about the UNM chapter of
EWB, visit the group's website.
Professor Walter Gerstle has received the "New Mexico Society of Civil Engineers Chapter Outstanding Service Award for 2012"
He was recognized at the Eweek luncheon held in Albuquerque on February
24, 2012.
Dr. Howe Receives $510K Contract for Water Quality Project
2-24-12
- UNM Civil Engineering Associate Professor Kerry Howe has received a new
one-year $510,000 research contract from the South Texas Project (STP)
Nuclear Operating Company to investigate industrial water quality and
treatment issues. The project will investigate how a hypothetical
loss-of-coolant accident is affected by the quality of the cooling water.
STP operates two commercial nuclear power reactors in Bay City, Texas.
Read more here
Dr. Brogan Retires After 26 Years at UNM
12-2011
– On Friday, December 9th, students and faculty in the CE
Department came together to honor Dr. james Brogan and wish him all the best
as he steps into retirement. Dr. Brogan has been a Professor of
Transportation Engineering here at UNM for nearly 26 years, and those
present at the luncheon were keen on sending him off in style. Dr. Brogan
was presented with a Southwest gift card for he and his wife, Kathy, to
enjoy but he conceded that "his fondest memories will revolve around the
pink hardhat, the surveyor's compass, and, of course, [his] own personal SOW
(single occupancy walker)."
In a final farewell speech, Dr. Brogan prepared a David Letterman-esque Top Ten List: "You Know It's Time to Retire When ... ." If you missed out on Dr. Brogan's retirement party, be sure to read his list of retirement quips here (and don't forget to take a peek at the stylish SOW in the photo above).
CE 497/499 Capstone Class Project Featured in Scouting Magazine
11-2011
– Over the summer, the Department of Civil Engineering
received the prestigious 2011 NCEES Engineering Award for Connecting
Professional Practice and Education. The grand prize, worth $25,000, was
awarded to the CE Department because of a project completed during the Fall
2010 semester by civil engineering and construction management students in
the CE 497/499 Capstone Design Course, taught by Dr. Andrew Schuler.
Students worked closely with professional engineer mentors to design
infrastructure improvements for a youth ranch located in the foothills of
the Sangre de Christo Mountains - the Gorham Scout Ranch.
The project was a success on many levels and gave students a chance to work on a significant, real-world engineering problem. Scouting magazine recently wrote an article for the November/December 2011 issue of the publication that features the project and highlights its success.
Meet Our New Faculty Members!
The CE Department has welcomed three new faculty members this semester and
we're thrilled about the experience and knowledge they bring to our
community. Dr. Mark Russell joins the department as a lecturer in the area
of construction after recently completing his PhD degree at the
University of Florida. Dr. Vanessa Valentin joins us as an assistant
professor in the area of construction. She recently earned her PhD
from Purdue University. Dr. Guohui Zhang joins us as an assistant
professor in the area of transportation after completing a post-doc
at the University of Texas at Austin.
They are
excited to join the UNM community and look forward to
getting to know the enthusiastic students that comprise our department.
They've each shared some information about their backgrounds and
research interests as part of a
three-part feature story. Click on the links below read more.
Dr. Vanessa
Valentin
Dr. Guohui Zhang
CE Students Tour CEI Enterprises
10-28-11 – On Wednesday, 16 engineering students from
Dr. Gerstle’s CE 424/524 course (Structural Design in Metals) took a field
trip to CEI Enterprises, a local manufacturer of production equipment for
the asphalt industry and related industries. Scott Cloninger, an Engineering
Manager at CEI, showed students around and provided them a very interesting
and educational tour of the facilities. Not only did students get a break
from the classroom, but they enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the
manufacturing and materials control processes associated with the production
of products for the asphalt industry.
Civil Engineering Students Line Up to Dunk Professors
9-16-11
– UNM’s student chapter of ASCE, along with the civil engineering honor
society Chi Epsilon, hosted a departmental fundraiser that was complete with
good food and an impressive high-tech dunk tank. Students lined up for the
chance to dunk their professors in good fundraising fun.
Follow the link to read
more and view photos from the event.
Dr. Coonrod Demonstrates Flood Control Model in Hydraulics Laboratory
9-7-11
– Much of the physical modeling and research performed by Dr. Julie Coonrod
aids the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Athority (AMAFCA) in
alleviating flooding, preventing injury or loss of life, and minimizing
property damage. Her most recent project examines the potential impact of
stormwater conveyance in the North Diversion Channel with the addition of
bike notches beneath the Singer and Osuna Bridges.
Read about the
interesting work Dr. Coonrod and her team are doing here.
New Book from Dr. Rounds
A new text book focused on Construction Supervision written by Dr. Jerald Rounds, co-authored by
Professor Robert Segner from Texas A&M was published in April by John Wiley & Sons. This is the
first text to focus on field supervision of construction projects. It addresses a wide variety of
topics from the technical side, such as scheduling and cost control to the human resource side, such
as leadership and motivation. It was designed to have applicability to both the academic and
professional markets, and hence has been incorporated into the RS Means series of books within
the Wiley family.
CE Capstone Class Wins NCEES Grand Prize
6-13-11
– UNM's Department of Civil Engineering was recently named grand prize winner of the 2011 NCEES
Engineering Award for Connecting Professional Practice and Education. The National Council of
Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) granted this prestigious honor to the CE Department
Capstone Design Course for students’ innovative vision and hard work on a project, Integrated
Infrastructure Improvements for a Youth Scout Ranch. The course, taught by Dr. Andrew Schuler,
has a long-standing history of proven success, and the NCEES Award is a testament to the hard work
of our students and faculty.
Continue reading here.