Our objective is to provide a broadly-based education in civil engineering which is intrinsically supported by world-class research in the areas of Structural, Geotechnical, Hydrotechnical, and Environmental Engineering.

The Department envisions a need for broadly-educated Civil Engineers with strong foundations in a wide variety of sub-disciplines, and excellent development of professional skills. In order to provide the best education possible, we wish to develop more emphasis on hands-on learning with field-based experiences at the Department's Kennedy Field Station and elsewhere, and on lab-based experiences with large-scale testing in all disciplines. We presently enjoy strong relations with industrial partners and we see greater industrial involvement as means by which to enhance our experiential learning opportunities.

We also envision the nourishment of a naturally-developing thread in our research which is focused on the sustainability of both the natural and built environment. This thread permeates each of our present areas of strength and we intend to pursue increasing research opportunities in areas such as structural rehabilitation including advanced materials, infrastructure replacement, sustainable water supply and management, and environmental engineering in general. In particular we envision strengthening the GeoEngineering Centre and the new Water Research Group, both hosted by our Department. Our specific objective in this research program will be to cement our place as a premier Civil Engineering Department in Canada and to bolster our standing internationally.