Home > SCSE News and Events > Archived News
Civil Engineering Beginning Fall 2008
(Spring 2008)
UMD offers a new Bachelor of Science degree program in Civil Engineering beginning fall 2008.
The development of the Civil Engineering Program at UMD is in direct response to engineering personnel needs expressed by the private and public sectors in our region and the career aspirations of prospective students and their parents. Areas of focus were determined after consultation with engineering and manufacturing firms in Duluth and Greater Northeastern Minnesota.
The new program emphasizes the fields of:
- Water resource engineering
- Transportation
- Structural engineering
- Geotechnical engineering including mining
"We intend to graduate civil engineers who have the skills and experience that employers are seeking, and who are prepared to meet the future needs of regional and statewide government agencies and industrial firms," said Dean Riehl. "Our students will be poised to contribute to the development of sustainable solutions to the pressing problems that impact our communities."
Engineering enrollment at UMD is now more than 800. "We expect to have close to 1,000 engineering students by the year 2012," predicts Professor Stanley Burns, Associate Dean. Professor Burns is responsible for coordinating curricula, accreditation and other issues for the expanding engineering programs.
With the initial Civil Engineering freshman class starting in the fall 2008, the first class will graduate in May 2012. At full admission, the program will have approximately 200 students. UMD plans to hire eight Civil Engineering faculty for the program.
Department Head and Professor, Dr. Andrea Schokker and Associate Professor Carlos Carranza-Torres will begin in August. Dr. Schokker is recognized for her work in concrete materials and structural engineering. Dr. Carranza-Torres is an international expert in mining. Dr. Eil Kwon, who has served as the Interim Civil Engineering Department Head has expertise in traffic management and serves as the Director of the Northland Advanced transportation Systems research Laboratories.
Ceremonial groundbreaking for a $16 million LEED certified building located at the North East corner of the campus to house the new program will be held on Friday, July 11, 2008. The 34,000 gross square foot, two-story structure will adjoin Voss Kovach Hall (home of the Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering Programs) and will house state-of-the-art teaching laboratories, research laboratories, classrooms and administrative offices.
The new building will include several large specialized laboratories designed so that students will be able to have hands-on experience with large wood, concrete, and steel structures, and also gain experience with hydraulic and other distributed piping systems.
Department Head and Professor, Dr. Andrea Schokker and Associate Professor Carlos Carranza-Torres will begin in August. Dr. Schokker is recognized for her work in concrete materials and structural engineering. Dr. Carranza-Torres is an international expert in mining. Dr. Eil Kwon, who has served as the Interim Civil Engineering Department Head has expertise in traffic management and serves as the Director of the Northland Advanced transportation Systems research Laboratories.