Environmental engineering is an interdisciplinary field that synthesizes knowledge from a wide range of subjects. People who have careers in environmental engineering often study, provide solutions and implement strategies concerning the quality of air, water and land resources; transport, use and disposal of hazardous wastes; water and wastewater treatment; and water reuse. Environmental engineers lead and are involved in multidisciplinary projects addressing complex issues and changing technologies that are required for sustainable development. The graduate curriculum in the Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering (CESE) program in the School of Sustainable Engineering and Built Environment (SSEBE) at Arizona State University (ASU) is designed to provide a strong foundation in physical, chemical, and microbiological principles, but remains flexible to meet changing needs within the field. The ASU environmental engineering program has two general themes: First, much of the ongoing research focuses on or involves consideration of environmental processes occurring in arid regions of the world. Arizona has a semi-arid climate, and much of the population growth world-wide is occurring in similar climates. Unique aspects of air and water pollution and sustainable development in these climates are a strong organizing theme for research, seminars, and course work. However, the underlying fundamentals of semi-arid climate environmental engineering are universal to any climate. Second, multidisciplinary sustainability-related activities via collaborative projects, courses, and seminars are strongly encouraged. The Environmental Engineering group has strong working relationships with microbiologists, plant biologists, ecologists, chemists, geologists, and social scientists around campus. Many of these collaborations address society-issues associate with developing urban environments.

-