Proposal for Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degree Programs in Environmental Engineering

College of Engineering and Applied Science

University of Colorado Boulder

Updated 10 December 2014

1. Overview of the proposed program One of the central challenges of our time is the need to protect human health, welfare, and the environment in the face of expanding human population, urbanization, and material consumption. Advances in scientific understanding and development of new technology are required to cost effectively meet pressing needs for minimizing and managing wastes, controlling water and air pollution, and designing more sustainable products and infrastructure. The proposed Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs in Environmental Engineering will prepare graduates for advanced professional practice and research aimed at addressing these key societal needs. The American Academy of Environmental Engineers defines environmental engineering as:

“… that branch of engineering concerned with the application of scientific and engineering principles for:

• Protection of human populations from the effects of adverse environmental factors;

• Protection of environments, both local and global, from the potentially deleterious effects of natural and human activities; and

• Improvement of environmental quality.”1 Students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) can already do course work and research related to environmental engineering, primarily through existing degree programs in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. However, there is no formal graduate degree program specifically focused this area. The proposed program would require relatively modest additional resources to deliver, but would offer interested students the opportunity to pursue more focused work in the environmental engineering area,

1 Environmental Engineering Body of Knowledge, Prepared by the Environmental Engineering Body of Knowledge Task Force, American Academy of Environmental Engineers, 2009, p. 10.

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allow faculty to collaborate more closely and effectively across departments, and raise the visibility of the College’s efforts by offering graduate degrees that are clearly identified as Environmental Engineering. The proposed Environmental Engineering M.S. and Ph.D. program will complement the existing Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Environmental Engineering, which is delivered by faculty from four departments in CEAS. The B.S. degree program was started in fall 1998 and has been continuously accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) since it first became eligible for accreditation in 2003. The B.S. degree program currently has about 200 students enrolled and is ranked 17th in the country (10th among public schools) by U.S. News & World Report (2014). As with the B.S. degree program, faculty from multiple CEAS departments, including Aerospace Engineering Science; Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering will collaborate to deliver the graduate degrees.2 Courses required for the program will be offered through the collaborating departments, with student credit hours assigned accordingly. Credit for graduate student mentoring will be assigned to students’ faculty advisors and the departments in which they are rostered. Corresponding to the research and teaching expertise of faculty who are actively working in the area of environmental engineering at CU-Boulder, the graduate program will offer specialization in:

• Air quality • Drinking water, wastewater, and water reuse treatment • Environmental engineering for developing communities • Natural waters • Climate and environmental change

Additional areas, such as industrial pollution control, may be added later as faculty expertise is expanded. The proposed M.S. and Ph.D. program will leverage significant investments in environmental engineering research and education that have been made by CU-Boulder, the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and the participating departments. The program will also benefit from long-standing relationships of participating faculty with researchers in CU-Boulder institutes and federal laboratories in the area. Furthermore, the program will benefit from the strong reputation already held by the environmental engineering groups within the participating departments. This reputation is evidenced by the fact that, for 2015, U.S. News & World Report ranked CU-Boulder 21st in the country (13th among public schools) among “Best Engineering Schools for Environmental/Environmental Health

2 The fourth department that participates in the B.S. degree program, Chemical and Biological Engineering, is not initially expected to participate in the graduate degree programs in Environmental Engineering, due to a current lack of faculty with research focus in this area.

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Engineering.” This recognition is especially notable given that CU-Boulder currently lacks specifically identified graduate degrees in this area. The proposed graduate program will bring significant added value to our students, the CU-Boulder community, Colorado employers, and the environmental engineering education and research communities. The program will also provide broader benefits to society through research and education in an area of significant national and international need. 2. Fit with institution’s role and mission CU-Boulder’s Flagship 2030 strategic plan presents the campus vision for becoming one of the nation’s leading public research universities, as described on the site http://chancellor.colorado.edu/flagship2030. The Flagship 2030 vision states that “[t]he University of Colorado at Boulder will become a leading model of the “new flagship university” of the 21st century – by redefining learning and discovery in a global context and setting new standards in education, research, scholarship, and creative work that will benefit Colorado and the world.” One of the plan’s core initiatives is to enhance graduate education, including by establishing new M.S./M.A. and Ph.D. programs in emerging fields. “Sustainability” is among the graduate program areas listed for consideration. Though not identical to that area, environmental engineering is closely aligned with sustainability as an academic field. Furthermore, many environmental engineers have made critical contributions to advancing sustainability aims. The mission of the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) is “to generate new knowledge in engineering and related fields and to equip students from diverse backgrounds as future leaders and responsible citizens in these fields for the betterment of individuals and society,” as described in its strategic plan at http://engineering.colorado.edu/downloads/StratPlan/Engineering_2020.pdf. In keeping with the missions of CU-Boulder and CEAS, the mission of the proposed graduate environmental engineering program is to equip students with advanced understanding of the principles of environmental science and engineering, including deep knowledge in their field of specialization, enabling them to contribute to world-leading research and specialized professional practice that helps protect human health, welfare, and the environment. The objectives of the proposed program are to prepare graduates to:

• Develop new or improved technologies and/or advance the state of knowledge of environmental engineering processes and systems and/or contaminant fate and transport in natural systems

• Independently plan, perform, assess and communicate high-quality environmental engineering research or design solutions

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• Work and communicate effectively in interdisciplinary endeavors to solve environmental problems

• Balance the competing social, political, economic and technical goals entailed in advancing sustainable solutions to environmental problems

3. Evidence of need The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified environmental engineering as a relatively high growth occupation, with projected growth of 22% over the decade from 2010 to 2020.3 Money Magazine ranked environmental engineering 20th on its list of “Best Jobs in America” for 2012, due to strong salaries, the outlook for job growth, and the opportunity to contribute to solving societal problems.4 Compared to other engineering disciplines, the field enjoys relatively strong participation from women. Growth in the environmental engineering field is driven by pressing societal needs, including the need to improve the design and operation of the built environment to make more efficient use of land, water, materials and energy; the need to replace aging infrastructure; the need to expand basic services including clean water and electric power in parts of the world where access is currently lacking; the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change; and an overarching need to help public and private entities enhance the sustainability of their operations and products. The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) has identified a number of factors contributing to the need for post-baccalaureate education in environmental engineering, including:

• the need for graduate coursework to keep up with advances in the environmental field;

• the substantial fraction of employers (in consulting, government agencies, and industry) who view a master’s degree to be the minimum qualification for professional practice in environmental engineering;

• requirements for advanced education associated with management or supervisory positions, including those with responsibility for public health, safety, and welfare and/or for design and construction of infrastructure;

• the requirement of advanced (Ph.D.-level) education for environmental engineers who want to teach in colleges and universities or engage in research in academic, government, or private sector settings.5

3 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-2013 Ed., Environmental Engineers, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm (visited 6-14-13). 4 Money Magazine, Best Jobs in America – 2012, http://money.cnn.com/pf/best-jobs/ (visited 6-18-13). 5 EEBK, p. 13

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4. Evidence of student demand The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists notes that most practicing environmental engineers have some post-baccalaureate education, with roughly a third of them earning graduate degrees early in their careers.6 Assuming a one-third yield of CU-Boulder Environmental Engineering BS graduates into the graduate program would yield annual enrollment of approximately 20 entering graduate students per year. This prospective enrollment is likely biased low, as the number of undergraduate engineering programs that could feed into a new CU-Boulder graduate program exceeds the number of competing graduate programs, and CU’s Environmental Engineering graduate program is already highly ranked (despite not offering specifically identified degrees). A second indication of potential student demand is the number of students in CU-Boulder’s Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments who are pursuing graduate studies in those department’s existing environmental or air-quality tracks or conducting research with environmental engineering faculty housed within those two departments. In recent years, there have been about 5 B.S./M.S., 35 M.S. and 25 Ph.D. students pursuing environmental engineering tracks or research in Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. 7 In 2012-2013, 1 B.S./M.S., 1 M.S. and 13 Ph.D. students in the Mechanical Engineering Department were working in this area.8 Enrollment projections for the new degree programs are shown in Table 1. These projections were developed based on the recent enrollments and approximate time to graduation for students working in the environmental and air-quality areas within the Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments, with modest growth assumed. Two years is assumed for time-to-graduation for MS students and four years for Ph.D. students.

6 Environmental Engineering Body of Knowledge, Prepared by the Environmental Engineering Body of Knowledge Task Force, American Academy of Environmental Engineers, 2009, p. 11. 7 Personal communication with Pamela Williamson, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, August 8, 2013. 8 Personal communication with Sharon Anderson, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, August 7, 2013.

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Table 1a. Enrollment Projections for the Proposed University of Colorado Boulder M.S. Program in Environmental Engineering

Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Full Imple-mentation

1-a In-state headcount 3 10 11 13 16 18

1-b Out-of-state headcount 7 12 15 17 18 22

2 Program headcount 10 22 26 30 34 40

3-a In-state FTE* 3 10 11 13 16 18 3-b Out-of-state FTE 7 12 15 17 18 22 4 Program FTE 10 22 26 30 34 40

5 Program Graduates 0 10 12 14 16 20

* Full-time equivalent Table 1b. Enrollment Projections for the Proposed University of Colorado Boulder Ph.D. Program in Environmental Engineering

Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Full Imple-mentation

1-a In-state headcount 2 8 16 19 20 22

1-b Out-of-state headcount 6 10 14 15 16 18

2 Program headcount 8 18 30 34 36 40

3-a In-state FTE* 2 8 16 19 20 22 3-b Out-of-state FTE 6 10 14 15 16 18 4 Program FTE 8 18 30 34 36 40

5 Program Graduates 0 0 0 0 8 10

* Full-time equivalent 5. Related programs in the state While there are related graduate programs in Colorado, the proposed degree programs will have several distinct features. The University of Colorado at Denver Department of Civil Engineering offers a graduate specialty in Environmental and Sustainability Engineering, defining it as “a unique, broad based program that links theory with engineering design for environmental protection and sustainable infrastructure systems.” Students working within this specialty can pursue an M.S. degree in Environmental and Sustainability Engineering, a Masters of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree in Sustainable Infrastructure, or a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering or Civil Engineering Systems. The Ph.D. Degrees in Civil Engineering and Civil Engineering Systems from CU Denver’s Civil Engineering Department are offered jointly with the

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Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at CU-Boulder, requiring the participation of at least two CU-Boulder faculty members on the dissertation committee. Beginning last year, CU Denver added a new option of a college-wide umbrella Ph.D degree, which does not require involvement of Boulder faculty. CU Denver’s program is distinguished from those of other public institutions in the state in offering a number of evening courses that are targeted toward working professionals. Recent enrollments have been approximately 15 M.S., 20 M.Eng., and 10 Ph.D. students.9 Colorado School of Mines offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering Science through its Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. The program specializes in water and wastewater treatment, microbial treatment, membranes, environmental organic chemistry, groundwater transport, and groundwater remediation. Enrollment in 2012 was 78 M.S. and 30 Ph.D. students.10 Colorado State University offers M.Eng., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Environmental Engineering. The program currently has one student enrolled in the M.Eng. program, 35 in the M.S. program and 13 in the Ph.D. program. 11 M.S. and Ph.D. students are required to take core courses in environmental biotechnology, wastewater treatment, advanced water treatment and aquatic chemistry. Electives are offered in water and wastewater treatment, hydraulics and wind engineering, atmospheric science, groundwater, water resources, and ecology. Because CU-Boulder already offers significant coursework and research opportunity in environmental engineering and science and has strong enrollment in this area, it is already clear that student demand is available to support related programs at each of these institutions. The graduate-level programs are clearly distinguished by the specialized research areas of individual faculty. CU-Boulder’s Environmental Engineering program will be further distinguished by the breadth and depth of course offerings and research topics within the program. CU-Boulder’s Environmental Engineering program will also be distinguished by the campus’ strength in natural sciences, environmental studies, and environmental law and policy, all of which offer students rich opportunities for supplemental coursework and interdisciplinary collaboration. Furthermore, students in the CU-Boulder program will have access to potential collaborators at the Boulder-based national laboratories, including those of the U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Center for Atmospheric Research.

9 Personal communication from Professor Jason Ren, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Colorado Denver, August 8, 2013. 10 Personal communication from Tim Van Haverbeke, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, August 7, 2013. 11 Personal communication from Laurie Alburn, Academic Advisor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, June 19, 2013.

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6. Admission requirements For admission to the M.S. or Ph.D. program in Environmental Engineering, applicants will normally be required to hold a baccalaureate or master’s degree in engineering, a natural science, or mathematics from a college or university of recognized standing. Students without a B.S. or M.S. degree in Chemical, Civil, Environmental, Mechanical or a similar engineering field will be considered on an individual basis, but must have completed or successfully complete courses in:

• calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations (4 semesters) • probability and statistics (1 semester) • calculus-based physics (2 semesters) • general chemistry (2 semesters, CU-Boulder CHEN 1211/CHEM 1221 equivalent) • fluid mechanics (1 semester) • fundamentals of environmental engineering (1 semester, CVEN 3414 equivalent) • a college-level basic or earth science (e.g., biology, or geology) (1 semester) One semester of statics will also be recommended for students lacking an undergraduate engineering degree who wish to pursue licensure after obtaining a graduate degree. In addition, students must have at least a 3.00 undergraduate grade point average, or have completed 9 semester hours of relevant graduate course work with at least a 3.25 grade point average. Students must also show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by their scholastic record, including GRE scores, three letters of reference, and a personal statement of academic and research interests. For applicants whose undergraduate language of instruction was not English, a TOEFL score of 213 CBT/550 PBT/79 IBT (6.5 if taking IELTS) is required for Master’s applicants and a TOEFL score of 250 CBT/600 PBT/100 IBT (7.5 if taking IELTS) is required for PhD applicants. The above requirements meet or exceed the minimum criteria set by the graduate school and CEAS. 7. Course of study The goals of the program are to be achieved by coursework and research training. Two options are available to complete the M.S. degree:

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Option 1 (thesis option)

1. At least 24 semester hours of graduate-level courses, including Environmental Engineering and Science core (6 hours), emphasis area (9 – 18 hours), and elective (0 - 9 hours) courses, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.

2. A minimum of 4 and maximum of 6 semester hours of thesis credit, with a sum of course and thesis credit of at least 30 hours.

3. Two semesters of Environmental Engineering graduate seminar, a non-credit seminar requiring attendance at 2/3 of the seminars each semester for satisfactory completion.

4. Satisfactory completion and defense of an M.S. thesis under the supervision of a research advisor who is a member of the Environmental Engineering faculty.

Option 2 (non-thesis option)

1. Thirty semester hours of graduate-level courses including Environmental Engineering core (6 hours), emphasis area (9 – 18 hours), and elective (6 - 15 hours) courses, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00. Six of the elective hours may be satisfied by independent study under the supervision of an Environmental Engineering faculty member.

2. Two semesters of Environmental Engineering graduate seminar, a non-credit seminar requiring attendance at 2/3 of the seminars each semester for satisfactory completion.

The common core for Environmental Engineering and consists of two courses:

1. CVEN 5464 Environmental Engineering Processes 2. CVEN 5404 Water Chemistry or CHEM 5151 Atmospheric Chemistry

The requirements for recommended emphasis areas are: A. General Environmental Engineering

1. CVEN 5484 Environmental Microbiology 2. One of:

a. CVEN 5524 Water Treatment b. CVEN 5534 Wastewater Treatment c. CVEN 5474 Hazardous Waste Management

3. One of: a. CVEN 5834 Fundamentals of Air Quality Science and Engineering b. MCEN 5131 Air Pollution Control

4. One of: a. CVEN 5537 Numerical Methods b. CVEN 5454 Quantitative Methods

B. Drinking Water, Wastewater and Water Reuse Treatment

1. CVEN 5484 Environmental Microbiology 2. CVEN 5524 Water Treatment

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3. CVEN 5534 Wastewater Treatment 4. One of:

a. CVEN 5537 Numerical Methods b. CVEN 5454 Quantitative Methods

C. Emphasis in Natural Waters

1. CVEN 5424 Environmental Organic Chemistry 2. CVEN 5353 Groundwater Hydrology 3. CVEN 5333 Hydrology 4. CVEN 5323 Applied Stream Ecology 5. One of:

a. CVEN 5537 Numerical Methods b. CVEN 5454 Quantitative Methods

D. Emphasis in Environmental Engineering for Developing Communities

1. CVEN 5484 Environmental Microbiology 2. CVEN 5919 Sustainable Community Development I 3. CVEN 5929 Sustainable Community Development II 4. CVEN 5939 Sustainable Community Development III – practicum 5. CVEN 5834 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 6. One of:

a. CVEN 5524 Water Treatment b. CVEN 5534 Wastewater Treatment c. CVEN 5474 Hazardous Waste Management d. CVEN 5834 Fundamentals of Air Quality Science and Engineering e. MCEN 5131 Air Pollution Control

E. Emphasis in Air Quality

1. One of: a. MCEN 5131 Air Pollution Control b. CVEN 5834 Fundamentals of Air Quality Science and Engineering

2. One of: a. MCEN 5021 Fluid Mechanics b. CVEN 5313 Environmental Fluid Mechanics

3. One of: a. MCEN 5141 Indoor Air Pollution b. MCEN 5161 Aerosols c. CVEN 5484 Environmental Microbiology

4. One of: a. CVEN 5537 Numerical Methods b. CVEN 5454 Quantitative Methods

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F. Emphasis in Environmental Change Adaptation Engineering One of:

a. CVEN 5484 Environmental Microbiology b. CVEN 5323 Applied Stream Ecology

2. One of: a. CVEN 5353 Groundwater Hydrology b. CVEN 5333 Hydrology c. GEOG 5321 Snow Hydrology

3. CVEN 5565 Life Cycle Engineering of Civil Infrastructure Systems 4. One of:

a. CVEN 5373 Water Law, Policy, and Institutions b. ENVS 5000 Policy, Science and the Environment c. MCEN 5228 Environmental Law d. ATOC 5000 Critical Issues in Climate and the Environment

Elective courses will be determined in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. For students who have undertaken prior graduate study, up to 9 hours of relevant graduate-level coursework may be transferred to meet the course requirements for the M.S. degree, following the rules established by the Graduate School for transfer credit. The requirements for the Ph.D. degree are:

1. Satisfactory completion of a preliminary examination, based on M.S. degree-level course work in Environmental Engineering topics.

2. Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination to defend the Ph.D. thesis proposal.

3. A minimum of thirty semester hours of relevant graduate-level courses including the Environmental Engineering core courses (6 hours), and a quantitative analysis class (3 hours, satisfied by CVEN 5537, CVEN 5454, MCEN 5020 or a similar graduate-level class). Coursework must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.

4. A minimum of thirty semester hours of dissertation work. 5. Four semesters of Environmental Engineering graduate seminar, a non-credit

seminar requiring attendance at 2/3 of the seminars each semester for satisfactory completion.

6. Satisfactory completion and defense of a Ph.D. thesis under the supervision of a research advisor who is a member of the Environmental Engineering faculty.

For students from another institution, up to 21 hours of course work may be transferred or applied to meet the 30-hour course requirement for the Ph.D. Courses transferred or applied must be relevant to the Ph.D. degree, and their acceptance is at the discretion of the Environmental Engineering faculty.

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The following courses are regularly offered at CU-Boulder and are recommended as emphasis area or elective courses for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. This list is not exclusive; other courses may be applied to the degree as determined in consultation with the student’s advisor. In particular, CU-Boulder has rich course offerings that may be applicable in Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chemistry, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Studies, Geography, and Geological Sciences. Moreover, while the proposed degrees will initially be offered using existing courses, new courses are expected to be added based on student interest and faculty experience. ATOC 5050 Atmospheric Dynamics ATOC 5600 Clouds and Aerosols CHEM 3311 Organic Chemistry 1 CHEM 4531 Physical Chemistry 2 CHEM 4181 Instrumental Analysis CHEM 5151 Atmospheric Chemistry CHEM 5161 Analytical Spectroscopy CHEM 5181 Mass Spectrometry & Chromatography CVEN 5313 Environmental Fluid Mechanics CVEN 5323 Applied Stream Ecology CVEN 5333 Multiscale Hydrology CVEN 5343 Transport/Dispersion of Surface Water CVEN 5353 Groundwater Hydrology CVEN 5383 Characterization and Control of Bioaerosols CVEN 5404 Water Chemistry CVEN 5423 Water Resources Engineering CVEN 5424 Environmental Organic Chemistry CVEN 5434 Environmental Engineering Design CVEN 5454 Quantitative Methods CVEN 5464 Environmental Engineering Processes CVEN 5474 Hazardous Waste Management CVEN 5484 Environmental Microbiology CVEN 5524 Water Treatment CVEN 5534 Wastewater Treatment CVEN 5537 Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering CVEN 5554 Fundamentals of Air Quality Management CVEN 5565 Life-Cycle Engineering of Civil Infrastructure Systems CVEN 5834 Special Topics: Analytical Methods in Environmental Engineering CVEN 5834 Special Topics: Water Reuse CVEN 5834 Special Topics: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) CVEN 5834 Special Topics: Sustainable Bioenergy Systems CVEN 5919 Sustainable Community Development I CVEN 5929 Sustainable Community Development II CVEN 5939 Sustainable Community Development III

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CVEN 6383 Porous Flow & Transport CVEN 6833 Special Topics: Advanced Data Analysis MCEN 5020 Methods of Engineering Analysis MCEN 5021 Fluid Mechanics MCEN 5022 Classical Thermodynamics MCEN 5040 Methods of Engineering Analysis II MCEN 5042 Heat Transfer MCEN 5131 Air Pollution Control MCEN 5141 Indoor Air Pollution MCEN 5151 Flow Visualization MCEN 5161 Aerosols MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Environmental Modeling MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Micro-Scale Heat Transfer MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Environmental Law for Scientists and Engineers MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Chemical Kinetics for the Thermal Sciences MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Inverse Methods MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Sustainable Energy MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Air Quality Measurements MCEN 5228 Special Topics: Numerical Methods MCEN 6228 Special Topics: Turbulence Statistics (ASEN 5047, CVEN 5454) 8. Assessment of student learning/outcomes evaluation Student learning is assessed at the course level for all options and degree programs. For the M.S. thesis option, student learning is also assessed through the M.S. thesis defense, administered by a committee of three faculty members. At least two of the faculty must be members of the Environmental Engineering program. For the Ph.D., student learning and research progress is assessed through individual courses and through three examinations: the preliminary exam, the comprehensive exam, and the Ph.D. thesis defense. The preliminary exam is a written test of general knowledge of environmental engineering, based on introductory graduate-level course work. The preliminary exam will normally be taken within the first three semesters of the Ph.D. program. The exam will be administered during the spring semester, and may be offered at additional times to accommodate special circumstances. Students taking the preliminary exam select four subject areas from a list of approved areas, based on their prior academic experience and research objectives. The exam will be administered as an open-book take-home test, with 48 hours allowed for completion. Responses will be graded by a committee of faculty members whose expertise corresponds to the selected subject areas. The comprehensive exam entails preparation of a written thesis proposal and defense of the proposal before the student’s dissertation committee. The committee must

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have at least five members with research expertise relevant to the dissertation topic. At least three of the committee members must be members of the Environmental Engineering program faculty. Timing for the exam is determined by the student and his or her faculty advisor, but will normally be scheduled after all course work is completed and at least one year before the anticipated date of Ph.D. completion. The Ph.D. thesis defense is the culmination of the student’s research efforts and entails preparation of a written dissertation and an oral presentation and defense before the dissertation committee. In a satisfactory defense, the Ph.D. candidate will demonstrate to the committee’s satisfaction that she or he has independently produced original research that advances the state of knowledge of environmental engineering. 9. Faculty and resources Faculty The initial faculty members who plan to participate in the proposed program are listed below in Table 2. These faculty members are already educating and advising student research on environmental engineering and science subjects through graduate programs offered in the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural (CEAE) and Mechanical Engineering (ME) Departments. The new program is thus anticipated to have only an incremental impact on their teaching and advising loads. Though additional faculty positions in the environmental engineering area will be desirable as the graduate program grows, no new faculty lines are required to initiate the program. Over a five-year time horizon, the environmental engineering groups in Civil, Environmental, and Architectural and Mechanical Engineering will each seek one returned or growth line in their department to begin to expand the environmental engineering faculty. The program will also pursue opportunities to hire faculty in conjunction with the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Initiative (RASEI) and other campus growth positions.

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Table 2. Faculty Members Participating in the Proposed Program

Faculty Position, rostering department, and area

Highest degree & year of completion

Bielefeldt, Angela

Professor, CEAE, remediation and engineering education

Ph.D. Civil Engineering, 1996

Cook, Sherri Asst. Prof., CEAE, resource recovery and sustainability

Ph.D. Civil Engineering, 2014

Emery, William

Professor, AES, remote sensing

Ph.D. Physical Oceanography, 1975

Hannigan, Michael Associate Professor, ME, air quality

Ph.D. Environmental Engineering Science, 1997

Henze, Daven

Assistant Professor, ME, air quality

Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, 2007

Hernandez, Mark

Professor, CEAE, microbiology

Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, 1994

Hertzberg, Jean

Associate Professor, ME, fluid mechanics

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, 1986

Larson, Kristine Professor, AES, satellite navigation and remote sensing

Ph.D. Geophysics, 1990

Linden, Karl

Professor, CEAE, water treatment

Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering, 1997

McKnight, Diane

Professor, CEAE, applied ecology

Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, 1979

Milford, Jana

Professor, ME, air quality Ph.D. Engineering and Public Policy, 1988

Miller, Shelly

Associate Professor, ME, air quality

Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering, 1996

Montoya, Lupita

Assistant Professor, CEAE, air quality

Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering, 1999

Neupauer, Roseanna

Professor, CEAE, water resources

Ph.D. Hydrology, 2000

Pellegrino, John

Research professor, ME, environmental separations

Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, 1983

Rajaram, Harihar

Professor, CEAE, water resources

ScD Civil Engineering, 1991

Ren, Jason Associate professor, CEAE, environmental biotechnology

Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, 2008

Rosario-Ortiz, Fernando

Professor, CEAE, water quality

D. Eng. Environmental Science & Engineering, 2006

Ryan, Joseph

Professor, CEAE, water quality

Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering, 1992

Silverstein, JoAnn

Professor, CEAE, water treatment

Ph.D. Civil Engineering, 1982

Summers, R. Scott

Professor, CEAE, water treatment

Ph.D. Environmental Engineering & Science, 1986

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Library reference resources The proposed graduate degrees correspond in subject area to work already being conducted in the Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and other CEAS departments. As such, we do not anticipate that they will have significant impacts on library reference resources. Facilities, equipment, and technology The primary space required for the proposed graduate program was assigned to environmental engineering-affiliated faculty from Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in January 2012. The space includes approximately 12,000 sq. ft. of faculty, staff, and graduate office space and laboratory space on the first floor of the Engineering Center Chemical wing, which has been renamed as the Engineering Center Environmental Sustainability (ECES) wing. Additional laboratory space in the adjacent Engineering Center Stores and Labs (ECSL) wing is also assigned to participating faculty. This configuration provides a relatively consolidated cluster that is conducive to interaction of students, faculty, and staff. Additional space may be required as the program grows, but new space is not required to initiate the program. Indeed, it is anticipated that the program will move to the new Sustainable Energy and Environmental Complex (SEEC) in 2015, resulting in increased office and laboratory space. The primary facilities currently available for environmental engineering research consist of approximately 12,000 sq ft of laboratories covering environmental engineering process research, environmental microbiology, environmental chemistry, water quality, air quality, molecular biology, toxicology, and field ecology. Modern PCs are available in all laboratories for instrument control, data acquisition and analysis, and report writing. Approximately 1,500 sq. ft. of laboratories are used for graduate laboratory courses, typically shared with undergraduate laboratory courses and research. Major laboratory equipment includes bench scale UV photolysis and ozonation systems; Solar Simulator; UV-vis spectrophotometer (Varian Cary 100); HACH DR 5000 spectrophotometer; Agilent 1100 High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) system with photodiode array detector; two Agilent 1200 High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) system with photodiode array detector, fluorescence and organic carbon detection; Dionex Ion Chromatograph (120); Perkin Elmer fluorometer; Shimadzu TOC-VCSH (high temperature combustion at 720 ºC, nondispersive infrared detection) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) TNM-1 unit (chemiluminescence detection). New, state-of-the-art environmental microbiology laboratories added in 2013 consist of separate 200-400 square foot laboratories for virology/cell culture, molecular microbiology, bacteriology, phage microbiology, toxicology, media preparation, and

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waste processing. Multiple temperature and variable atmosphere incubators will support a broad spectrum of classical microbiological assays. A separate laboratory is licensed for radioisotope handling and storage (35S, 32P, 14C, and 15N) and includes two liquid scintillation counters. Molecular biology upgrades were also previously added in 2005 as a 1,000 ft2 dedicated “clean room” environment specifically for mammalian cell culture support, including 10 m3 stainless steel walk-in chambers isolating controlled environment incubators separating pre- and post-infection cell lines. Also included, are standard equipment for plaque assays (inverted microscopes), genetic material extraction, membrane immobilization, and DNA/RNA hybridizations. PCR and qPCR thermocyclers, electrophoresis units and associated illuminators, photographic documentation equipment as well as DNA sequencer are all available. These laboratories also include a state-of-the-art microscopy facility housing several modern microscopes including a Olympus phase contrast station, and a Nikon E-400 compound epifluorescent microscope, with multiple filter sets capable of detecting a wide spectrum of biological stains. Access to a new transmission, scanning and environmental electron microscope is also available in College’s new imaging facility.

Instrumentation housed at the Center for Environmental Mass Spectrometry includes:

• Agilent Technologies 6540 Liquid Chromatograph/Quadrupole/Time-of-Flight/mass spectrometer

• The Agilent Technologies 6220 Accurate-Mass Time-of-Flight LC/MS with MassHunter Workstation software

• Agilent Model 6460 Triple Quadrupole mass spectrometer and model 1200 liquid chromatograph (HPLC) featuring Femtogram-level sensitivity

• Agilent Model 6330 LC/MS ion trap with Agilent Model 1100 HPLC. • Agilent 5972 GC/MSD model with autosampler • Gilson GX-271 ASPEC automated Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) unit for SPE,

sample • Turbovap LV nitrogen evaporator system for concentrating organic samples

Computationally based research is supported by the University of Colorado Boulder JANUS supercomputer system, and by high performance scientific computing systems housed with the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. Office space for the students is available through the Environmental Sustainability group housed in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU. Offices are adjacent to the new laboratory space and near the offices of a core group of EVEN faculty. A table on physical capacity estimated is appended to the end of this proposal.

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Overall budget impact/need Because the proposed programs are based on existing activities, minimal new resources are required to start them. As shown in Table 3, anticipated net new tuition revenues exceed direct expenses. The new expenses in the first two years are limited to program administration expenses and teaching assistants, including funds for new recruiting materials and events. The projections anticipate that by years 3 and 5 program growth will justify hiring two new faculty members to participate in the program, although as discussed above these faculty would still be expected to be rostered in either CEAE or ME. They will also contribute to teaching for the undergraduate program, which is expected to grow. Table 3a. Projected Revenue for the Proposed Environmental Engineering Graduate Program

Estimated Amount in Dollars (PV)Enrollment Revenue Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

1 Cash Revenue = Tuition1 $172,529 $340,046 $464,737 $523,936 $566,7622 Cash Revenue = Fees3 Other Revenue2

4 Federal Grants2

5 Corporate Grants/Donations2

6 Other Funding Sources2

7 Institutional ReallocationTOTAL PROGRAM REVENUE $172,529 $340,046 $464,737 $523,936 $566,762

1It is assumed that the students enroll in 7 credits per semester, on average, and that one half represents net new enrollments, with the other half from existing degree programs; tuition revenue listed represents only the net amount for growth 2Research contracts and grants are not included

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Table 3b. Projected Expenses for the Proposed Environmental Engineering Graduate Program

ESTIMATED AMOUNT YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 1 Faculty Salaries1 0 0 $90,000 $90,000 $180,000 2 Financial Aid Specific

to the Program (TAs) $35,000 $35,000 $70,000 $70,000 $70,000

3 Instructional Materials

$5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $10,000 $10,000

4 Program Admin. (Recruitment; Coord. Starting Year 3)

$15,000 $15,000 $60,000 $60,000 $60,000

5 Rent/Lease 0 0 0 0 0 6 Laboratory & Other

Costs 0 0 0 0 0

7 Total Operating Expenses

$55,000 $55,000 $225,000 $230,000 $320,000

Program Start-Up Expenses

8 Capital Construction 0 0 0 0 0 9 Equip. Acquisitions

(faculty start-up) 0 0 0 0 0

10 Library Acquisitions 0 0 0 0 0 11 Total Program Start-

Up Expenses 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES

$55,000 $55,000 $225,000 $230,000 $320,000

1New faculty hires only, not including current faculty in the undergraduate environmental engineering program 2Not included are faculty “startup” packages of typically $300,000-$400,000 per tenure-line faculty hire, as these expenses are for research rather than education

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TABLE 4 – PHYSICAL CAPACITY ESTIMATES Name of Program: Environmental Engineering (M.S. and Ph.D.) Name of Institution: University of Colorado Boulder Purpose: This table documents the physical capacity of the institution to offer the program and/or the plan for achieving the capacity. Complete A or B. Part A I certify that this proposed degree program can be fully implemented and accommodate the enrollment projections provided in this proposal without requiring additional space or renovating existing space during the first five years. Governing Board Capital Construction Officer Date Part B

ASSIGNABLE SQUARE FEET

TOTAL NEEDED

AVAILABLE LEASE/RENT REVENUE SOURCE*

TYPE OF SPACE Immediate Future Immediate FutureClassroom 2,000 2,000

Design StudioOffices 5,000 5,000Study

Special/GeneralUse (Research) 12,000 12,000

Other (Teaching Lab) 1,500 1,500

NEW CONSTRUCTIONRENOVATION

*Capital Construction Fund (CCF), Research Building Revolving Fund (RBRF), Gift (GIFT), Grant (GR), Auxiliary Fund (AUX) Governing Board Capital Construction Officer Date

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Engineering Energy & Environmental Institute 212 Sackett Building Phone: 814-865-9980 The Pennsylvania State University Fax: 814-863-7304 University Park, PA 16802 Email: blogan@psu.edu

January 13, 2015 Dr. John A. Stevenson Dean, the Graduate School Professor of English 026 UCB University of Colorado, Boulder Boulder, CO 80309-0026 303-492-2890 John.Stevenson@Colorado.EDU Dear Dr. Stevenson, At your request, I reviewed the proposal for a “Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degree Programs in Environmental Engineering”. I found the description of the programs to be excellent, and the reasoning and need for the degrees to be well established based on need and excellence of the programs. The requirements for students to enter into the program, and to complete requirements, are quite comparable to other programs at top universities in the USA. At Penn State, we have our own Environmental Engineering graduate degree program that awards MS, Meng and PhD degrees, so I am quite familiar with the programs and requirements. Therefore, I find the proposal is academically sound and complete, and I believe that these degrees would be a valuable addition to those offered in the US in Environmental Engineering. If I can provide any further information on this proposed degree program, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely,

Bruce E. Logan, Ph.D. Evan Pugh Professor Stan and Flora Kappe Professor of Environmental Engineering Director, Engineering Energy & Environmental Institute Member, National Academy of Engineering