EDWARDSVILLE - A group of more than 60 graduate students, faculty, visiting scholars and engineering professionals attended the 2016 Annual Mid-American Environmental Engineering Conference Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering.
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“We successfully met our goal to bring together environmental engineering graduate students from six leading universities in this region to share their educational experiences and research findings, and to learn from each other,” said Jianpeng (Jim) Zhou, PhD and civil engineering professor in the SIUE School of Engineering. “This event provided an opportunity for faculty to network and explore collaborative opportunities, as well.”
Zhou said the most impressive aspect was the students’ active participation. The students delivered all 15 presentations that were made. “The presenters received a range of questions from different students among a variety of universities, indicating active student engagement and strong interest,” he said. “Many students expanded their networks and made new friends."
Zhou noted that an important aspect of hosting the event was demonstrating SIUE’s resources and capabilities such as presenting research work at SIUE, showcasing the engineering building and providing a tour of the Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC). It also enhanced the connection of SIUE’s civil (environmental) engineering program and its faculty to metropolitan St. Louis. The keynote speaker was Brian Hoelscher, executive director and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District.
Along with SIUE, participating schools included Missouri University of Science and Technology, University of Missouri Columbia, Saint Louis University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Washington University in St. Louis.
SIUE and the St. Louis chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers-Environmental & Water Resources Institute (ASCE-EWRI) co-sponsored the conference.
The SIUE School of Engineering offers one of the most comprehensive and affordable engineering programs in the St. Louis region with eight undergraduate degrees, five master’s degrees and a cooperative doctoral program, all housed in a state-of-the-art facility. Students learn from expert faculty, perform cutting-edge research, and participate in intercollegiate design competitions. Companies in the metropolitan St. Louis area provide students challenging internships and co-op opportunities, which often turn into permanent employment. All undergraduate programs are accredited by their respective accreditation agencies.
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