Civil Engineering Fields
Water Resources Engineer
Got Water?
You turn on the tap and out comes water! It's clean. It's safe. You drink, without stopping to think about it. But if you were a Water Resource engineer, you'd think about water every day. Is it safe for people to drink? Is it getting to where it is suppose to be? Is there enough? Making sure people have clean drinking water is one of the most important jobs on the planet! It literally keeps people alive and healthy.
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Transportation Engineer
Look both ways!
Did you cross a street today? Wait for a walk signal? You probably did but didn't give it a second thought, but if you were a transportation engineer, you'd get to figure out how people and vehicles move about smoothly and safely. Transportation engineers start their work thinking about how people behave at stoplights, crosswalks and traffic intersections.
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Geotechnical Engineer
Going Deep
Ever see a new building site and notice it often starts with a big hole? Well, we don't usually think about it, but in order to make a building sturdy and safe, you gotta work from the ground up! Geotechnical engineers gather the facts by studying rocks, soil and underground water, to make sure buildings are located in the correct place and their foundations are designed properly.
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Coastal Engineer
Making Waves
Could you imagine your boss telling you to spend a day at the beach? Coastal engineers can often call the beach their office! Every day our shorelines are threatened by human activity and changing weather patterns. Coastal engineers work to protect our beaches and coasts. For instance, coastal engineers may decide where sand should be added to help a beach that may be eroding so our beaches and shorelines are there for us to enjoy for years to come.
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Structural Engineer
Standing Tall
You probably don't stop to worry about whether the building you are in right now can withstand a force of nature like a hurricane or an earthquake. But if you were a structural engineer, you'd design and plan houses, schools, and skyscrapers to resist these powerful forces.
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Environmental Engineer
Keeping it Clean
Do you ever wonder how the new buildings and houses we see being built all around us affect the environment? How do these structures impact the local animals and plants? How do they affect the water supply and the quality of air that we breathe? Environmental engineers often work at project sites to answer these questions and plan ways to limit the harmful effects on the natural surroundings.
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Construction Engineer
Dirty Dancing
Ever notice how busy construction sites are, filled with people, trucks, cranes, and cement mixers? Without a Construction engineer, it would be impossible to get any work done! Construction engineers arrange the complicated "dirt dance": the movement of people and materials that construction sites need. They must also solve puzzles like how to get wet concrete from the ground to the top of a skyscraper before it hardens.
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Site Planning and Development
The Big Picture
Have you ever wondered how your neighborhood, city, or town came to be? Whether it's a building, a new housing development, or an entire city, site planners and developers work together to map out where new structures, roads, and utilities should be built. They work with many different types of civil engineers to ensure the entire system works.
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Architectural Engineer
The Inside Job
Have you ever heard the saying, "It's what's on the inside that matters"? Even though skyscrapers and stadiums amaze us from the outside, an architectural engineer had the important task of figuring out how the "insides" of the structures work. It's their job to ensure that the people inside the building are safe and comfortable by designing and building systems including heating, air conditioning, plumbing, lighting, and even fire protection.
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