Welcome to CEVE 101

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Dr. James Doss-Gollin

Thu., Aug. 29

Be well, support one another

• We continue to mourn Andrea and violence
• Please use college / university resources!
• Let me know if I can support you

Meet the Professor

• Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• dossgollin-lab.github.io
• jdossgollin@rice.edu
• Office hours: book on Calendly

• Call me Dr. Doss-Gollin or Professor
• Outside the classroom, I often go by James
• This doesn’t bother me but in general, it’s good to address professors by their title
• I will do my best to teach the “hidden curriculum”

My background

Why you’re taking this class

1. Learn about sustainability, climate solutions, and environmental remediation
2. Explore potential engineering majors (CEVE, MECH, MSNE, Materials Science)
3. Gain insights into real-world CEVE projects and career paths
4. Make an informed decision about pursuing a CEVE major
5. Discover how CEVE connects to other fields and global challenges

Your Hometowns

These maps were made with Julia code and Quarto. See source code on GitHub

About Civil and Environmental Engineering

Today

1. About Civil and Environmental Engineering

2. About CEVE 101

What problems have Civil and Environmental Engineers solved?

In small groups:

1. Discuss this question
2. Have one person fill in group answers

Origins of Environmental Engineering

National Geographic

• In 1854, a severe cholera outbreak hit Soho, London, killing 616 people
• Dr. John Snow, a physician, suspected contaminated water was the cause, not “miasma” (bad air) as commonly believed
• He created a map marking cholera cases and water pumps in the area
• The map showed a cluster of cases around the Broad Street pump
• Snow had the pump handle removed, and new cases declined dramatically
• Epidemiology, clean water, sanitation, data visualization, spatial analysis

Clean Drinking Water

• Segovia aqueduct: Built 1st century CE, 813 meters long, 28.5 meters high, without mortar
• Roman aqueducts transported clean water to cities, improving sanitation and public health
• Demonstrates advanced Roman civil engineering, some still functional after 2000 years
• Aqueducts like this laid the foundation for modern urban water supply systems

Megaprojects

• Scale and complexity of modern CEVE projects
• Interdisciplinary nature of large-scale engineering
• Economic and social impacts of mega-projects

Transportation

• Discuss the evolution of transportation infrastructure
• Discuss emerging technologies in transportation engineering

What are ongoing challenges in Civil and Environmental Engineering?

In small groups:

1. Discuss this question
2. Have one person fill in group answers

Natural Disasters

• Diverse risks: hurricanes, floods, wildfires, droughts
• Increasing frequency and severity due to climate change
• Substantial economic losses and human impact
• CEVE addresses through risk assessment, resilient design, and adaptation strategies

Decaying Infrastructure

• Aging infrastructure is a global and national problem
• Maintenance and replacement costs are huge challenges
• CEVE plays a crucial role through:
  • Optimizing infrastructure upgrade prioritization
  • Developing advanced materials for longer-lasting structures
  • Designing more durable and efficient road systems
  • Improving asset management and maintenance strategies
  • Implementing smart sensing technologies for real-time monitoring
  • Innovating sustainable and resilient infrastructure solutions

Inadequate Infrastructure

• Briefly explain the challenge presented
• Discuss how CEVE is addressing these issues
• Highlight the interdisciplinary approach needed for solutions

Unequal Burdens

• Urban heat islands disproportionately affect low-income neighborhoods, leading to health risks and higher energy costs
• CEVE addresses these issues through urban planning, green infrastructure, and equitable policy recommendations

Water Pollution

• Algal blooms in Lake Erie are caused by excess nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) from agricultural runoff and sewage
• These blooms can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals, and deplete oxygen in the water, leading to fish die-offs
• CEVE addresses this through improved wastewater treatment, sustainable agricultural practices, and ecosystem restoration techniques

Residual Risk

• The image shows the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Haiti, highlighting the vulnerability of infrastructure in developing countries
• There are cost-reliability trade-offs in earthquake-resistant design, but similar or stronger earthquakes in more developed countries (e.g., Chile) have resulted in fewer casualties, emphasizing the importance of proper building codes and their implementation
• CEVE addresses this challenge through developing cost-effective earthquake-resistant designs, collaborating on building code implementation, and integrating socioeconomic factors into resilience planning
• This issue requires an interdisciplinary approach, combining structural engineering, urban planning, policy development, and economic considerations to create comprehensive solutions for earthquake resilience

Impacts on Community, Health, and Economy

• CEVEs design the built environment, which has far-reaching impacts on society
• The design of infrastructure affects public health outcomes, such as air quality and access to green spaces
• Built environments shape community interactions and economic activity, influencing quality of life
• Infrastructure decisions have long-term implications for tax burdens and municipal budgets

About CEVE 101

Today

1. About Civil and Environmental Engineering

2. About CEVE 101

Course Overview

1. Explore the intersection of built, information, and natural environments
2. Develop quantitative toolkit to understand and improve sustainability, resilience, and equity in infrastructure systems
3. Develop skills in data analysis, system modeling, and engineering design

Course Structure

1. Technical lectures
2. Topical seminars on applications
3. Team-based projects

Modules

Four modules, each culminating in a group design project

1. Climate and energy
2. Mobility and networks
3. Water and health
4. Coastal resilience

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Understand interconnections between CEVE subfields
2. Apply fundamental principles to solve engineering problems
3. Generate high-quality engineering calculations and reports
4. Collaborate effectively in project teams
5. Recognize the impact of CEVE in addressing global challenges
6. Evaluate ethical implications of engineering decisions

Course Materials

1. No required textbook
2. All materials posted on course website or Canvas
3. Scientific papers accessible through Rice library
4. Recommended: Use Zotero for reference management

Grading

Participation (40%)

1. In-class attendance
2. Assigned readings
3. Class discussions
4. Reading quizzes

Projects (60%)

1. Four group design projects
2. One per module
3. Peer evaluations included

Academic Integrity

1. Rice Honor Code applies
2. Collaboration encouraged, but work must represent your own understanding
3. Proper citation of sources required
4. Ask if you’re unsure!

AI/ML Resource Policy

1. LLMs (e.g., GPT) permitted with restrictions
2. Can be used for coding assistance
3. Not allowed for generating text submissions
4. You are responsible for understanding and verifying all output

Getting Help

1. Canvas Discussions for content questions
2. Office hours (sign up online!)
3. Email for personal matters

Course website

Lectures, syllabus, and project descriptions are on the course website

• Syllabus
• Lectures

Assignments will be posted on Canvas.

About course slides

These slides are web-native, but you may want to save them as PDF for offline viewing or note taking. To print slides:

1. Open in Chrome / Brave
2. Press e to open print mode
3. Print using browser (suggest saving as PDF)

For recommended settings, see RevealJS docs

See you Tuesday, September 3rd

• Guest lecture: Dr. Michelle Frazer, Rice University
• Please listen to this podcast episode or read the article

Readings

Readings will often be announced in class. Larger assignments will be posted on Canvas.