USC Viterbi Sonny Astani Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

The next generation
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Engineering a better
world
for all humanity

Our strategic vision

The department's vision guides our work and impact. We leverage interdisciplinary research in five distinct areas.
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The Energy-Water Nexus

Sustainability expert Sanders’ focus is the energy-water nexus — the idea that producing a safe and reliable water supply requires a lot of energy, while producing a safe and reliable energy supply requires a lot of water. She has studied ways to optimize this relationship between energy and water services for nearly a decade.

News

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
Mission Critical: Improving Software Development for Space Defense
November 18, 2024

Researchers at USC ISI guide the United States Space Force towards the agile methodology

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
Newly established Antevy Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fund Empowers the Solution of Grand Challenges Addressed with the Civil and Environmental Engineering Disciplines
November 13, 2024

The newly established fund inspires students and faculty at the USC Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) to transform their research into high-impact solutions.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
From Fungi to Fuel: Student Startups Tackle Environmental Challenges
November 6, 2024

USC Civil and Environmental Engineering students are harnessing the powers of the natural world to develop innovative technologies that solve real-world problems.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
Toxic Metals Found in Wildfire Suppressants
October 30, 2024

New research estimates 850,000 pounds of heavy metals have been released into the environment in the Western US from 2009-2021

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
How can we prevent the spread of contaminants in our water sources?
October 23, 2024

Two professors at USC Viterbi School of Engineering are collaborating on a puzzle with direct consequences for human health: identifying the best model for predicting the flow of contaminants in groundwater sources.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
Could Autonomous Vehicles Make Us More Altruistic?
October 17, 2024

For USC Viterbi researcher Ruolin Li, the design and optimization of autonomous vehicles (AVs) calls for a balance of societal benefits and individual interests.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
The Art of Carbon Ju-Jitsu: Transforming Carbon Dioxide into Useful Products
September 12, 2024

USC Viterbi researcher K. Leslie Gilliard-AbdulAziz is at the forefront of advancing technology for carbon capture and utilization.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
The ReWater Center will Revolutionize Resource Resilience
September 5, 2024

The Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is at the forefront of research for the treatment and reuse of one of our greatest resources: water.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
Professor Bora Gencturk Appointed to NASEM Committee
August 18, 2024

The USC professor will apply his expertise in high-performance concrete for water infrastructure as part of a committee led by the National Academies of Sciences.

Behnam Jafarpour recieves award
Entrepreneurial Engineers Pitch Ideas for Social and Environmental Startups
June 27, 2024

The Das Family Innovate x LA Student Competition challenges students to develop high-impact urban solutions and compete for a $20,000 prize.

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CEE Student Voices


Research @ CEE

We are pioneering new fields of research and bringing disciplines together to tackle the grand challenges of our time.

Research Spotlights

Faculty Member
Building the world of tomorrow
Today!

CEE @ USC goes beyond academics.
It's a hub for sustainability-minded innovators and makers who work on bold new ideas that will transform our world.

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Academics​

Explore our interdisciplinary programs.
Undergraduate
Master
Ph.D.
Undergraduate minors

Straight from the Source
Conversations with Current Faculty and Students

Have you ever wondered where a civil and environmental engineering degree will take you? Or what life in a CEE research lab is like? Or are you just curious about what your friends are working on? Be CEEN gives you the inside scoop on the world of CEE @ USC Viterbi.

Be Ceen Podcast
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What makes
us unique

  • Top 10 engineering school in the nation
  • Multidisciplinary research, integrating A.I., computing and CEE
  • Global innovation programs
  • Academia + industry partnerships
  • Los Angeles City is a living lab; it is one of the largest and most diverse metropolitan cities in the world