Undergraduate Research Experiences That Promote Recruitment Into The Field Of Environmental Engineering

There is a tremendous and rapidly growing demand for midand entry-level Environmental Engineers at consulting/engineering firms and utilities in many regions of the United States, and what seems to be a considerable increase in starting salaries offered by engineering consulting firms in the last two to three years is apparent. Furthermore, a Masters degree has become almost a necessity for entry-level engineers practicing in the areas of water and wastewater treatment and industrial waste management, particularly as more complex systems are evaluated and designed. The Environmental Engineering field seems to be moving to a point where a Masters degree is required to be proficient in the workforce, and the Ph.D. is the defining degree for technical work. At the undergraduate level, the objective should be to integrate realistic, useful, and externally-funded research experiences into undergraduate engineering education in a well-equipped laboratory, while at the same time providing a valuable service to regional industries, utilities, and consulting firms. These experiences bolster interest among students in the technical and scientific aspects of Environmental Engineering, thereby enticing and better preparing students to pursue these topics in graduate school and in future careers. These projects also expose undergraduates to both the environmental engineering profession (collaboration with practicing engineers) and larger research universities.