February 2011

Environmental Engineering Concentration

Geneva College is pleased to announce the addition of a new environmental engineering concentration, which will be available to students beginning in the fall 2011 semester. This concentration will provide students with a learning track that is relevant to today′s trends in science and technology as companies and manufacturers shift toward environmental-friendly, renewable-energy solutions. With the environment being at the forefront of research and innovation, students at Geneva now have the opportunity to pursue a distinctive education on environmental issues taught from a Christian perspective.

Provost Dr. Ken Carson says, “Environmental Engineering is an increasingly common engineering discipline, although it is still relatively rare in the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). It is a program that will create a bit of a competitive advantage for Geneva College.”

The environmental engineering concentration will join the department′s existing civil, computer, electrical, mechanical and interdisciplinary engineering concentrations, strengthening Geneva′s already top-quality engineering program. The Department of Engineering offers students the opportunity to work with industrial and governmental clients through Geneva′s Center for Technology Development. Geneva′s engineering department holds a 100% job placement rate for graduates in the past 10 years, with engineering graduates working for IBM, the U.S. Navy, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and many other leading organizations.

“The environmental concentration will be grounded in biblical principles of creation and environmental stewardship,” says Chair of the Department of Engineering Dr. James S. Gidley. “We hope that the program will be attractive to students who want to be environmentally responsible but do not buy into non-Christian philosophies that underlie some parts of the environmental movement.” Geneva College strives to instruct students in an appreciation of God′s creation and the environmental engineering concentration teaches students Christian stewardship and conservation of natural resources for the benefit of other people and future generations.

The concentration features courses in pollution control–water pollution, air pollution, and solid and hazardous wastes. There will also be a new introduction to environmental engineering course plus courses in environmental monitoring and surface and ground water hydrology. In addition, students will be able to diversify their studies by selecting additional engineering electives from the other concentrations.

Students who graduate from the environmental engineering concentration will be prepared to enter a variety of careers. They may work at engineering consulting firms that design treatment plants and other pollution control systems or for manufacturing companies that operate their own treatment plants and engage in pollution prevention and waste minimization activities. Graduates would also be good candidates for manufacturing and other types of companies that need engineering staff to maintain compliance with a myriad of environmental regulations and may even work for government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Environmental engineering is a rapidly expanding field of research and vocation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 31% increase of jobs by 2018. As the world pushes for more affordable and environmentally friendly ways of living, Geneva will be training students to engage these issues from a biblical perspective, providing the education necessary to enter the field and impact society.

- Micah Yarger ′12