Civil and Environmental Engineering

Civil and environmental engineering research at Princeton addresses fundamental questions associated with the built environment, the natural environment, and interactions between the two. Focus areas include design of civil engineering systems; water resources and the hydrologic cycle, civil engineering materials, environmental and structural monitoring; air quality and water quality; urban environments, including smart cities; the impacts of climate change on water resources and natural hazards; impacts of energy technology on the environment; and structural art and design.

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A man in a blue shirt displays a yellow, honey comb box made of cardboard — Xiangxin Dang, a postdoctoral researcher, displays an adjustable structure made from a cardboard sheet. Photos by Sameer A. Khan/Fotobuddy

With a single paper sheet, engineers make dancing structures that direct light and sound

Aerial view of a river meandering through a green field. — An aerial view of the Taylor Park watershed in Gunnison County, Colorado. Image by Drew Bennett

New research reveals groundwater pathways across continent

Two women and a man standing in front of an auto-rickshaw on a city street. — Anu Ramaswami with Dhanasree Durairaj, a local Chennai intern with Princeton University, and Amir, an auto- rickshaw driver. Photos courtesy of the researchers

Measuring the human impacts of extreme heat to guide cities’ climate action plans

Flooded farmhouse with debris in the water in the foreground — A Nebraska neighborhood during 2011 flooding along the Missouri River. Photo by Diana Fredlund, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Helping engineers design for waterways on a changing planet

A rustic dirt road with damaged power lines. — Hurricane Maria ravaged the town of Vega Alta in Puerto Rico. Photo by alejandrophotography/iStock

Predictive models could prevent post-hurricane power failures

Workers in hard hats and protective gear crouch working around a drum of green liquid — The Princeton PureLi team works with partners in the salt flats of the Atacama desert in Chile to improve lithium production from brine. Photo courtesy of Z. Jason Ren

How water innovation could be key to a sustainable economy

Sigrid Adriaenssens

Joshua Atkinson outdoor portrait

Joshua Atkinson

Portrait Elie Bou-Zeid

Elie Bou-Zeid

Ian Bourg

Michael Celia

Maria Garlock

Portrait of Branko Glisic

Branko Glišić

Jürgen Hackl

Portrait of Peter Jaffé

Peter Jaffé

Ryan Kingsbury portrait

Ryan Kingsbury

Liuchi Li portrait

Liuchi Li

Portrait of Ning Lin

Ning Lin

Jyotirmoy Mandal

Denise Mauzerall

Portrait of Reed Maxwell

Reed Maxwell

Portrait of Reza Moini

Reza Moini

Glaucio Paulino

Catherine Peters

Catherine Peters

Amilcare Porporato

Anu Ramaswami

Zhiyong "Jason" Ren

Gabriele Villarini

Claire White

Mark Zondlo