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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Professor Metin Duran and a postdoctoral student work in the Environmental Biology lab.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is a dynamic scholarly community of undergraduate and graduate students and faculty.

Our professors excel in both the classroom and laboratory in specialties including:   

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Transportation Engineering
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Construction Management

All Civil Engineering students are prepared to play vital roles in enhancing quality of life while protecting the environment and improving sustainability.

At a Glance

  • 19 Full-time faculty members
  • 242 Civil Engineering undergraduates (40% female)
  • 47 Master’s students (Civil Engineering)
  • 34 Master’s students (Water Resources and Environmental Engineering)
  • 19 PhD students

The size of our department allows for a variety of hands-on research opportunities and the ability for focused faculty mentorship.

 

OUR RESEARCH

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is closely associated with:

Villanova’s Center for Resilient Water Systems (VCRWS)

VCRWS is home to the Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership (VUSP) and several of the nation’s leading experts in the field of stormwater control management and green infrastructure.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Students at all levels are encouraged to pursue research in the areas of water resources and stormwater management, as well opportunities in:

  • Water Quality/Wastewater Treatment
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Transportation Systems
  • Structural Engineering

Among its facilities, the department boasts the impressive Richard K. Faris ’69 CE, ’70 MSCE Structural Engineering Teaching and Research Laboratory for testing of full-scale and component size infrastructure elements, and the new Transportation Simulation Laboratory that is part of the Advanced Simulation complex that is shared with the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Department Chair
Dr. Eric Musselman
Associate Professor

VILLANOVA ENGINEERING

FEATURED FACULTY

KELLY GOOD ’09 CE, PHD, PE

In addition to leading senior capstone design projects, Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor Kelly Good teaches courses in hydraulics engineering and hydrology. She also studies the interactions of infrastructure systems, most recently within the energy-water nexus to evaluate how regulations and decisions in the power sector affect drinking water quality and health. MORE...

JOHN KOMLOS, PHD

Teaching Professor John Komlos introduces first-year students to civil engineering fundamentals. At the graduate level, he teaches a course on fate and transport of contaminants in natural and engineered systems. A faculty member in Villanova’s Center for Resilient Water Systems, Dr. Komlos’ research interests include subsurface metals and nutrient retention mechanisms as they pertain to pollutant removal from stormwater control measures. MORE...

WENQING XU, PHD

In her course in Environmental Engineering Science, prolific researcher and Associate Professor Wenqing Xu imparts her impressive scholarship on environmental interfacial chemistry as it applies to providing solutions for safe drinking water, nutrient recovery, and mitigating climate change. The recipient of the 2020 University Scholar Achievement Award has earned more than $3 million in grants from the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, and National Institutes of Health. MORE...

SHAWN GROSS, PHD

Associate Professor Shawn Gross teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Structural Engineering and Mechanics, including Statics/Dynamics, Structural Analysis & Design, Structural Engineering Capstone (Senior Design), Reinforced Concrete, Prestressed Concrete, and Wood & Masonry. His research focuses on concrete structures and steel joists and beams. MORE...

DEPARTMENT NEWS

Prof. Frank Falcone

Virginia Smith Recognized by ASCE for Excellence in Teaching

Assistant Professor Virginia Smith was recognized with a 2021 ExCEEd New Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The ASCE Committee on Faculty Development lauded her “outstanding teaching record, contributions to the academic and surrounding community, and proven commitment to education.”

Dr. Robert Traver

Engineers Worry Cities, Subway Networks Are Not Ready For Climate-Fueled Flooding | Here & Now, NPR, 8/9/21

Dr. Robert Traver, Civil and Environmental Engineering professor and director of the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems, spoke to NPR’s Here & Now about environmental crises that have underscored the need for engineering and urban design solutions for natural disasters turbo-charged by climate change.

Dr. Kristin Sample-Lord

Dr. Kristin Sample-Lord Receives Prestigious NSF CAREER Award

The five-year, $510,000 grant will allow the assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering to advance research in water security and environmental protection, while preparing future science, technology, engineering and mathematics professionals.