Educating for a Sustainable
Future –
Environmental Engineering
Body of Knowledge
The EE BOK Working Group
Debbie Reinhart, PhD, PE, BCEE
University of Central Florida
Working Group Charge
The Body of Knowledge Development Working
Group is charged with defining the BOK
needed to enter the practice of environmental
engineering at the professional level in the
21st century taking into account other issues,
including, but not limited to, the impact on the
profession, on environmental engineering
academic programs (undergraduate and
graduate), and on accreditation of
environmental engineering programs at the
basic and advanced levels.
What is the BOK?
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Civil Engineering: the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes necessary to become a licensed
professional civil engineer
National Academy of Engineering Study: proper
preparation for demands the field will place upon
engineers in a global economy
American Society of Mechanical Engineers:
domains, knowledge areas, and sub-knowledge
areas needed for program of study
Environmental Engineers?
EE BOK Issues
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How should the BOK be defined?
What level of achievement is desired?
How is the BOK achieved (with a BS, a MS,
and/or through experience)?
What defines entry into the professional
environmental engineering field?
How is its fulfillment assessed (a BS degree,
a MS degree, a Professional Engineering
License, Board Certification)?
Challenges
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Environmental engineering encompasses a
broad range of disciplines
Environmental engineers may have
undergraduate degrees from the sciences,
chemical engineering, mechanical
engineering, or other fields
Transportability
Many environmental engineers do not or can
not take the professional engineering exam
BS or Beyond?
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Traditionally, EEs received advanced degrees
ASCE Policy 465
NSPE Professional Policy 168
NCEES – additional 30 credits beyond BS to obtain
PE
NAE Engineer of 2020 – BS engineering is the new
BA:
“It is evident that the exploding body of science and
engineering knowledge cannot be accommodated
within the context of the traditional four year
baccalaureate degree.”
Most professional degrees require education beyond
BS (JD, MD, CPA…)
The EE BOK
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Must recognize our roots in:
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Hydraulic engineering
Sanitary engineering
Water microbiology
Water/wastewater treatment engineering
Air quality engineering
Sanitary engineering
The EE BOK
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Must ensure that those entering the
environmental engineering profession have
the science and technical knowledge,
problem solving skills, and business acumen
to meet future challenges.
Unified opinion on what environmental
engineers are and what they need to know
Dr. Asit Biswas: Social, Technical Impact
Factors on Society
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Globalization
Free trade
Energy security
Technical
developments
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Urbanization/
ruralization
dynamics
Immigration
Information and
communication
revolution
Major impact on
environmental management!
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The technology of today will have little
relevance in the future.
In 2020, our students today will be in mid
career.
How do we prepare them for this future?
The Environmental Body of Knowledge
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ABET A-K outcomes?
Relevant project experiences?
Specialized knowledge* (water,
wastewater, air, solid waste, hazardous
waste)?
*Action terms must be defined (levels of knowledge – Bloom
Taxonomy?)
BOK Goals and Outcomes
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Knowledge* about results of environmental
measures and their impact on society and
policy, interpreted from the perspective of risk,
statistics and economics?
Knowledge* about innovations and impact of
use on resources and environmental health
and how to use innovations to accomplish
goals?
Ability* to conceive and direct complex projects
requiring highly integrated view of engineering
systems at multiple scales within a framework
of sustainability?
*Action terms must be defined (levels of knowledge – Bloom
Taxonomy?)
Working Group Composition
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Practitioner Members (including consulting
and government)
Academic Members
ASCE BOK Committee Member
ABET Representative
EE BOK Process
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Establish procedures, schedule
Brainstorm outcomes
Group outcomes
Identify subgroups to flesh out outcomes
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Define achievement level
Time of achievement
Consensus on outcomes
Draft BOK
Public presentations and input
Finalize BOK
Schedule
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May 2006
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May 2006
January 2007
July 2007
Sept 07 - March 08
March 2008
May 2008
May – Sept 2008
September 2008
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BOKDWG scope approved by
AAEE BOT, leaders identified
BOKDWG formed
First face-to-face meeting
Second face-to-face meeting
External Input
Third face-to-face meeting
Draft EE BOK completed
External Input
Final EE BOK published
Conclusions
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The EE BOK should serve as an inspiration
to those studying, teaching, and practicing
environmental engineering
Translation into curriculum will be critical to
success