DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
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 (nearly 50% female)
- 227 Civil Engineering undergraduates (42% female)
- 59 Master’s students (Civil Engineering)
- 28 Master’s students (Water Resources and Environmental Engineering)
- 17 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 NEWS
Faculty Awarded VITAL Minigrants to Improve Engineering Courses and Learning Outcomes
Faculty in the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering have been awarded minigrants from the Villanova Institute for Teaching and Learning to develop and improve new and existing courses for undergraduates and graduate students.
Dr. Wenqing Xu Recognized with University Scholarly Achievement Award
Dr. Wenqing “Vicky” Xu, associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been recognized with Villanova’s 2020 University Scholarly Achievement Award. An expert in environmental interfacial chemistry, Dr. Xu has established herself as an exceptional researcher, winning more than $2 million in grants over the course of one year for her work in contaminant destruction, wastewater treatment, and nutrient removal and recovery.
Student, Faculty and Alumni Team Tackles Panamanian Water Systems and Parish Construction
During spring break, a group of Civil and Environmental Engineers—including students, faculty and alumni—visited Panama where they worked hand in hand with local teams, including Father Wally Kasuboski, on various engineering design projects.