Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Courses
Ese 501 Environmental Physical and Chemical Processes (3)
This course examines the physical and chemical processes that control contaminant transport in the environment and are fundamental to common environmental engineering practices. It is organized into two parts, with the first part focusing on fundamental theories and the second part on practical applications. The first part begins with processes involved in phase transfer and partitioning of molecules, such as the phase partitioning of organic compounds, sorption/desorption, and precipitation/dissolution, follows by processes (primarily redox reactions) governing contaminant transformation. Next, physical processes involved in the mass transport of molecules and particulates in aquatic and soil environments will be introduced. Principles of these processes and methodologies used to study them will be covered. In the second part, representative environmental systems and waste treatment processes involving the abovementioned processes will be presented. First, the processes used to remove dissolved and particulate constituents during drinking water treatment will be demonstrated, focusing on reactor design and analysis. Second, the applications of adsorption and redox reactions on air pollution control and remediation of contaminated sites will be introduced. Prerequisites: Students should have taken general chemistry and physical chemistry, and be familiar with basic thermodynamics and kinetics.
Ese 511 Water and Wastewater Treatment (3)
This course will cover two general fields in environmental engineering: water supply engineering and wastewater engineering which are an important part of Environmental Engineering. The lectures will introduce water supply and use; water treatment; and wastewater treatment. From water distribution (pressurized flow) to wastewater collection (gravity flow), we need to consider changes in community size and demand requirements. Water treatment is to produce reliable portable water using different water sources with consideration of human health. Wastewater treatment includes the used water entering a wastewater treatment plant and treatment processes to produce suitable effluent for safe disposal to the environment. At the completion of this course students will be able to understand the issues associated with water supply and wastewater collection and design process and specify their design and operation parameters for water and wastewater treatment. Prerequisite: Ese 301 Introduction to Environmental & Sustainable Engineering.
Ese 512 Advanced Wastewater Engineering (3)
This course covers the theory and application of advanced wastewater treatment processes to remove nutrients (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus) and other residuals in the effluent from secondary treatment processes. The lectures will introduce traditional advanced treatment processes to remove nitrogen and phosphorus in the secondary effluent, and most recent treatment processes such as anammox, membrane filtration, aerobic/anaerobic digestion and microbial fuel cells. Through this course, students will be able to tell what the advanced treatment is and understand the theory and removal mechanisms depending on target contaminants. Prerequisite: Ese 411 Water and wastewater treatment.
Ese 515 Biological Treatment Processes (3)
This course will cover the theory and application of biological processes used in the engineered treatment of wastes including municipal, industrial wastewaters and bio-solids. In the first two weeks, microbial energetics, metabolism, and kinetics will be introduced to understand basic principles regarding the microbial activity. The remainder will cover modeling approaches to simulate microbial growth, mass transport, and kinetics in the suspended or fixed biofilm. Reactor design and application will be further introduced based on those biofilm models to optimize the operational conditions to meet the discharging standards. Prerequisite: Ese 411/511 Water and Wastewater Treatment.
Ese 520 (Ehs 520) Principles of Environmental Chemistry (3)
A survey of known environmental pollutants undertaken to familiarize students with the processes of evolution, emission, transport and disposition of these compounds in the environment. Prerequisite: Two years of college chemistry or the consent of the instructor.
Ese 531 Air Pollution Control (3)
This course provides a detailed coverage of two key components: information on air pollutants and design training on how to control air pollution. Air pollutants, such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides will be presented in detail. The corresponding control technologies are then introduced to remove these contaminants from air. In addition, control of carbon dioxide emission is included as well. All of these discussions reflect the most recent information on U.S. air quality trends and standards. Prerequisites: An introductory chemistry and engineering, A ATM 210 or permission of instructor.
Ese 533 Sustainable Air Pollution Management (3)
This course introduces basic understanding of causes and effects of air pollution, the theories and practices of sustainable air pollution management, and provides energy-efficient and cost-effective strategies to reduce air emissions in order to achieve sustainable air quality. Sustainable approaches for air pollution management in several sectors including industry, transportation, indoor buildings will be discussed. Prerequisites: An introductory chemistry and engineering or permission of instructor.
Ese 551 Water Resources Engineering (3)
Encompassing theories, analyses and designs, this course provides a comprehensive coverage of water resources engineering. The main topics covered include: water resources sustainability; hydraulic processes, such as pipe flow, open-channel flow and groundwater flow; hydrologic processes; surface runoff; reservoir and stream flow routing; water distribution; flood control; stormwater control; and sedimentation and erosion hydraulics. In particular, management of water resources through the lens of sustainability will be emphasized. To allow a deeper and more comprehensive examination of the subject than required at the undergraduate level, a graduate research paper is required for graduate students. Prerequisite: Ese 351 Fluid Mechanics.
Ese 552 Nonpoint Source Pollution Engineering (3)
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution generally results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage or hydrologic modification. This course comprehensively covers the assessment and management of NPS pollution. The topics of this course include: basic concepts of nonpoint source pollution, hydrologic considerations, erosion and sedimentation, groundwater and base flow contamination, urban and highway diffuse pollution, control of urban and agricultural diffuse pollution, estimating loads and loading capacity by models, and integrated watershed management. Prerequisite: Ese 451 Water Resources Engineering.
Ese 560 (Ehs 560) Sustainability, Green Design and Public Health (3)
This course covers the theory, principles and measures of sustainability and public health. Through hand-on projects and real-world cases, the students will work with governmental, industrial and non-profit organization partners to assess the environmental footprints and health impacts of their products and services, and suggest the sustainable interventions.
Ese 571 Hazardous Waste Management (3)
Solid waste management is an essential component of modern civil infrastructure and must be addressed by every municipality. It aims to address important socio-economic and environmental issues, including public sanitation, regulatory compliance, public opinion and economics, waste treatment infrastructures, carbon footprints, resource recovery, and sustainability. This course will cover all aspects of solid waste management from a life cycle perspective. It begins with waste generation from municipal and industrial sources, waste characterization, and relevant regulations and policy. Next, practices for source reduction, waste separation, and material recycling, as well as waste collection and transport, will be introduced. In Part Three, mainstream treatment and disposal techniques such as composting, anaerobic digestion, landfills, and incineration will be discussed in details. Finally, the application of system engineering tools for sustainable solid waste management will be discussed. The course will emphasize engineering design, policy, and techno-economic evaluation of different management alternatives. Graduate students enrolled in ESE 571 need to conduct a research project and finish advanced questions in exams, additional to the requirements for undergraduate students. Prerequisites: Students are suggested to have taken at least one course in general chemistry, introductory environmental science, or introductory environmental engineering.
Ese 890 Independent Study and Research (3 - 12)
Independent study at the doctoral level under the direction of a member of the Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Department faculty. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Consent of Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Department doctoral committee.
