Department of Civil Engineering at the University of New Mexico

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

Education Without Borders - Engineers in Bolivia

It's time for the 2nd Annual Education without Borders-Engineers in Bolivia workshop. The workshop will be on January 28, 2012 from 9 am to 5 pm and will be a combination of lectures from professors and professionals, and hands on activities. All are welcome to attend this workshop, which is geared towards providing practical and educational background and knowledge about the Tsimane project for all those who wish to be involved.

EWB will hold a general meeting on Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30 pm (see flyer for details and location) to discuss the workshop; or, you can visit the event website for information and to register.

EWB is still looking for travel team members, so now is a great time to get involved with the project and potentially travel to Bolivia next summer. The January 28 workshop is mandatory for anyone who wishes to travel with the group to Bolivia.

CE Department News

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.

Read the article here.

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
Dr. Mark Russell

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.