Engineering Systems and Environment
The Department of Engineering Systems and Environment (ESE) at the University of Virginia was created in 2018 to address some of society’s most difficult engineering problems.
Our Department
This department brings together faculty in the systems and civil engineering programs to work together, in an interdisciplinary manner, to focus on the advancement of complex engineering systems that integrate the latest in technology for the benefit of people and communities. We incorporate sustainability into everything that we do. Our faculty and students are actively engaged in areas such as robotics, smart cities, advanced modeling, and flood modeling and monitoring.
Today's engineering students need more than technical proficiency to make a positive difference in the world. The Department of Engineering Systems and Environment prepares engineering leaders who can skillfully and ethically design and manage complex systems that meet pressing human needs through technology, whether at the individual level or through large-scale civil and environmental infrastructure.
We offer highly sought-after degrees — B.S., M.E., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in both civil and systems engineering, with faculty that are sharing their expertise and making contributions across the globe.
Our Programs
Diversity
Engineers exist for the betterment of society — and that means all communities regardless of geography, resources, or the backgrounds of their people. UVA's Department of Engineering Systems and Environment is committed to increasing the number of engineers from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in the field of engineering, such as women, African Americans, and first-generation college students.
Research
Research is at the heart of our department's mission and vision. Our research labs and centers have created a collaborative and multidimensional community that combines strengths in cyber-physical and systems approaches with deep domain knowledge in such areas as transportation, the environment, human health, defense, and public safety. We specialize in research areas such as:
- HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
- ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
- SYSTEMS ASSURANCE AND RESILIENCE
- SMART CITIES
- INTELLIGENT DECISION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS
- CYBER-HUMAN SYSTEMS
Our Graduate Students
We have a diverse, extraordinary group of graduate students who help faculty fuel research and mentor and teach undergraduate students. The Graduate Student Council, formed in 2019, has created an outstanding seminar series that directly meets the needs and interests of our department's diverse student body.
Career Opportunities
Our graduates are highly sought-after and enjoy robust career prospects. Our civil engineering program provides a springboard for careers as an academician, as a researcher, as a consultant, or in management/leadership within a university, institute, industry, or government setting.
Systems engineering majors are exposed to a wide range of topics within the field, including the economic, environmental, managerial, technical, and political aspects of large-scale systems design and implementation. Our flexible academic curricula and hands-on research opportunities prepare our undergraduate and graduate students for successful careers in a multitude of disciplines.
Our graduates find employment in:
- Consulting firms
- Government agencies
- Contract agencies
- Construction firms
- Industrial corporations
- Academia
- Research institutes and laboratories