Explanation of Civil Engineering

Civil Engineers are often mistaken for "the people that design and work on bridges."  All arguments aside, infrastructure is crucial to the everyday lifestyle of Americans.  Without roads, highways, and even bridges, many people wouldn't get to work on a daily basis.  It is important to realize that although infrastructure is one important part to Civil Engineering, it is merely the tip of the iceberg.  During my time at NDSU, I have learned of several different sub-categories of CE.  These categories can range anywhere from Geo-technical Engineering to Water/Waste Water Engineering.

Burj Khalifa

The general public might view Civil Engineering career fields as boring.  However, this is simply not the case! Other than the stereotypical Minnesota/North Dakota Department of Transportation (Highway Dept.), civil engineers often find themselves in interesting career fields.  These career fields include several new and innovative projects and major developments.  For example, Civil Engineers studying materials could potentially find themselves evaluating and even designing some of the world's greatest structures such as the Hoover Dam, the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, and even the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai!  The opportunities are endless when it comes to the Civil Engineering profession.


The structures listed above are all amazing in their own regards, however, this discipline of Civil Engineering isn't for me.  Personally, upon graduation, I would like to work in the Transportation Engineering sub-group of CE.  I don't necessarily mean working for the highway department, but rather planning and designing infrastructure such as airports.  As an Air Force ROTC cadet, aviation is very near and dear to my heart. NDSU offers a course in airport planning and design which helps give those students interested in the career field of Transportation Engineering, a taste of reality.

Kansai International Airport

One other fascinating opportunity, is the potential collaboration with other professions.  In the advanced materials discipline of Civil Engineering, engineers combine with chemists, physicists, and even biologists in the design and testing of "smart" materials; designed with composite materials and in some case, sensors.  This just goes to show the vast array of careers awaiting civil engineering students upon graduation!

In addition to planning various building projects, design is also very important in the grand scheme of things.  As a Civil Engineer, a person would not only get to experience the tolerance and parameter side of the spectrum, but they would also get to "play architect" on different projects.  Whether people like to admit it or not, Civil Engineering and Architecture go hand in hand.  While one side is responsible for the safe design and close inspection/testing of parameters, the other is in charge of making the structure, whatever it may be, aesthetically pleasing to the public's eye.  So the next time you hear an engineer and architect arguing over who has more importance, just know they are both experts in their respective technical field(s).

The Civil Engineering career field values hard-working and determined individuals looking to make a difference in their society.  This difference may be designing Fargo's next cutting-edge storm sewer system or designing and testing self-cleaning glass placed in New York's next skyscraper.  Regardless, whatever discipline of Civil Engineering a person might find themselves in, it will certainly not disappoint!

Sources:
http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2010/02/burj0902.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Kansai_closeup.jpg
http://jobspotbeta.ryerson.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/1273683372_civil_engineering_bridge.jpg