Civil & Environmental Engineering Research
Creating Innovative Solutions for Global Challenges through Cutting-Edge Research
Our Impact
Our engineering research has a far-reaching impact, from influencing policy decisions to driving innovation in industry. We collaborate with governmental agencies, non-profits, and private sector partners to ensure that our research findings translate into real-world applications. By bridging the gap between academia and practice, we are making a tangible difference in the world.
This is aligned with University president Randall’s commitment to expand the university’s learning and knowledge enterprise beyond campus borders. The goal is to improve lives and make a global impact, a mission that all our faculty are striving for.
Research News and Spotlights
$35 Million in Department of Energy Grants to Transform Utah's Carbon Storage Landscape
Three major grants secured by CvEEN faculty will contribute to the DOE’s carbon emission reduction initiative, an effort focused on managing carbon emissions in Utah and throughout the United States.
Fighting Forever Chemicals: Dr. Ramesh Goel Leads $1.6M EPA Research on PFAS
Dr. Ramesh Goel‘s groundbreaking environmental engineering research is supported by a nearly $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project will address the PFAS crisis in agricultural, rural, and tribal communities.
Innovative Alzheimer’s Treatment Developed at the U Featured in Journal of Nuclear Medicine
Dr. Aidan Bender, a UNEP PhD graduate, spearheaded pioneering research on Alzheimer’s disease. His remarkable work is being published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the premier journal in the field.
Enhancing Construction Engineering Education with AI-Driven Mobile App
The intersection of technology and education is transformative, and at the forefront of this transformation is Dr. Abbas Rashidi, who's playing a key role in a $900,000 NSF initiative to developing an AI-driven mobile app designed to act as an on-demand educator.
A Focus on Mentorship
Dr. Chris Pantiledes
Dr. Pantelides Co-Authors Four Articles with Ph.D. Students
Dr. Pantelides is deeply committed to mentoring his graduate students, dedicating extensive time to guiding them through hands-on research in the structure’s lab. This commitment recently culminated in four co-authored publications with different Ph.D. students in four prestigious journals since July 2024, including Journal of Structural Engineering, Journal of Bridge Engineering, and Engineering Structures.
$3 Million U.S. Department of Transportation Grant to Improve Mobility Equity
Drs. Nikola Markovich and Abbas Rashidi will use their combined expertise in machine vision (MV), artificial intelligence (AI), and optimization algorithms (OA) to support the initiative's mission of expanding accessibility and mobility for underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Dr. Jennifer Weidhaas to Lead $500,000 National Science Foundation Grant
Dr. Luther McDonald‘s research has received the 2023 Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction: Nuclear Forensics Research Award (NFRA), with a budget of $1,395,000 to support 36-months of laboratory experiments and student development.
Earthquake-Proofing Mass Timber Buildings
The deceptively simple piece of lumber is an example of “mass timber” technology, a category of “engineered wood product” set to revolutionize the construction industry— and that Pantelides has spent the last seven years studying and developing.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Grants UNEP $1.3 Million Research Award
Dr. Luther McDonald‘s research has received the 2023 Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction: Nuclear Forensics Research Award (NFRA), with a budget of $1,395,000 to support 36-months of laboratory experiments and student development.
Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP)
Housed within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) has developed a Nuclear Engineering curriculum that fills critical educational and competency gaps for engineers and scientists involved in the nuclear power and radioactive waste industries, nuclear medicine, homeland security, radiation safety, and nuclear materials detection.
Engineering Research Expenditures at the University of Utah
Funding Sources
