Environmental Protection and Hazardous Waste Management

Geological Engineers work on a variety of projects which protect and preserve the earth.  For example a geological engineer may be involved in the design of a project to protect wetlands.    A geological engineer may be involved in the cleanup of lead contaminated soil which threatens peoples homes.

We have a geological emphasis area in Environmental Protection and Waste Management.  If you choose this emphasis area, you will be taking some of the following courses:

• Environmental Geological Engineering

• Geological Aspects of Hazardous Waste Management

• Subsurface Hydrology and Transport Mechanics

• Soil Science in Engineering Practice

• Statistical Methods in Environmental Geology and Engineering

• Environmental Aspects of Mining

• Risk Assessment in Environmental Studies

• Groundwater Remediation

The environment is clearly an important issue on which geological engineers often focus their work. As an entry level geological engineer you might work for a state agency such as the Department of Natural Resources, or you might work for the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Alternatively, a geological engineer may undertake a career with one of the consulting firms focusing on environmental protection, hazardous waste cleanup, groundwater protection and geologic hazards. Geological engineers are uniquely trained to be sensitive to geological uncertainty and natural variation in the soil, rock and subsurface fluids, while at the same time having a problem-solving and applications skill set that allows them to develop innovative solutions to environmental problems. Geological engineers are often involved in designing waste storage facilities, or groundwater cleanup plans. Geological engineers might also become environmental experts with respect to petroleum and gas facilities or operations. Finally, many geological engineers work on mitigating the hazards posed by environmental and geological processes such as landslides, earthquakes and flooding.