Current Courses

Spring 2017:

ES 226-04 (Statics) — TuTh 2:10-4:00p

CE 203-02/03 (Envisioning a Sustainable World) — TuTh 8:00-9:15a (02), and TuTh 9:30-10:45a (03)

I do not teach, nor expect, memorization of formulae in my classes. I have always stressed a critical thinking approach to understanding the concept instead. Knowing how to ‘plug and chug’ is not learning, but is usually the expectation of many students today. Rather, I hope to instill my excitement of the subject in the students, so that they may gain a fuller education. When I devise problems/projects for the students, I try to represent several cognitive levels within the Bloom’s Taxonomy. I am also a firm believer in being readily available to students outside of the classroom, which may involve advising, individual tutoring, mentoring, and participation in student-run societies. Whenever possible, I always encourage an experiential learning environment (“learn by doing”). In the water resources world, this usually involves getting outside into the rivers and watersheds.

Past Fall Courses

CE 251 – Fluid Mechanics

A fundamental course that applies the basic principles of physics, calculus, statics, and dynamics to engineering problems with fluids. Topics include: fluid properties, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, conservation of mass, conservation of momentum, conservation of energy, and the application of each of these.

CE 271 – Land Development and Surveying

The objective of this course is to introduce the student to the design process using the field of study called geomatics. Obtaining initial measurements, processing those measurements, and then developing drawings, plans, or maps are central to civil engineering design projects. In this course students will learn how to use surveying equipment to take field measurements and how to use various computer software packages to reduce the data and display results.

CE 421 – Hydrology

A project-oriented course that will focus on the management and analysis of drainage and urban stormwater issues, floodplain management, and water quality impacts. Projects include: Stormwater basin design, stormwater outlet analyses, and stormwater management plan for a new housing development.

Past Spring Courses

ES 226 – Engineering Mechanics: Statics

An introduction to the analytical methods of engineering design focusing on the analyses of forces systems in equilibrium. Topics include: systems of forces and moments, trusses, frames and machines, beams and cables, friction, centroids, and moments of inertia.

CE 351 – Water Resources Engineering

Analysis and design of systems that control water use and water excess management. This is a required course for CE majors that will cover three primary concepts: pipe systems, open channel flow, and watershed hydrology. There will be weekly labs consisting of lab experiments, field work, and computer models.

CE 451 – Open Channel Hydraulics

A project-oriented course that will focus on the flow hydraulics of natural and engineered channels. Projects include: fish passage through culverts, design of an engineering hydraulic jump, 2D modeling of river hydraulics, river classification, and a river restoration plan.