CIVIL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING EMPHASIS
Program Description
Civil Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary emphasis that
seeks to efficiently innovate the design, operation, or management
of the built and natural systems that enhance the quality of
life in our society. More broadly, systems engineering is the
profession of characterizing the risks, uncertainties, and efficiency
of systems whose collective performance emerges from the interactions
and dependencies of their components. Characterizing the behavior
of system components in relation to system performance, the
evolution of such behavior over time and space, as well as optimizing
the performance of Civil Engineering systems, requires holistic
design and analysis tools that blend the technical, economic,
environmental, and social contexts of engineered projects. Civil
engineering services and expertise are ubiquitous and critical
to an economically and ecologically sustainable society. Here
at Penn State, research and education within Civil Systems Engineering
will play a vital role in addressing our aging national infrastructure
while also advancing the sustainable management of our natural
resources.
