1. Educating for a Sustainable Future – Environmental Engineering Body of Knowledge The EE BOK Working Group Debbie Reinhart, PhD, PE, BCEE University of Central Florida

2. 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.

3. What is the BOK? 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?

4. EE BOK Issues 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)?

5. Challenges 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

6. BS or Beyond? 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…)

7. The EE BOK Must recognize our roots in:  Hydraulic engineering  Sanitary engineering  Water microbiology  Water/wastewater treatment engineering  Air quality engineering  Sanitary engineering

8. The EE BOK 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

9. Dr. Asit Biswas: Social, Technical Impact Factors on Society Globalization Free trade Energy security Technical developments Urbanization/ ruralization dynamics Immigration Information and communication revolution Major impact on environmental management!

10. 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?

11. The Environmental Body of Knowledge 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?)

12. BOK Goals and Outcomes 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?)

13. Working Group Composition Practitioner Members (including consulting and government) Academic Members ASCE BOK Committee Member ABET Representative

14. EE BOK Process Establish procedures, schedule Brainstorm outcomes Group outcomes Identify subgroups to flesh out outcomes  Define achievement level  Time of achievement Consensus on outcomes Draft BOK Public presentations and input Finalize BOK

15. Schedule May 2006BOKDWG scope approved by AAEE BOT, leaders identified May 2006BOKDWG formed January 2007First face-to-face meeting July 2007Second face-to-face meeting Sept 07 - March 08External Input March 2008Third face-to-face meeting May 2008Draft EE BOK completed May – Sept 2008External Input September 2008Final EE BOK published

16. Conclusions The EE BOK should serve as an inspiration to those studying, teaching, and practicing environmental engineering Translation into curriculum will be critical to success