In late January, 22 students learned about the construction process for a state-of-the-art waste treatment facility, during a tour that was part of the CCEE Immersion Experiences program. This program was started in 2019 as a way to make civil engineering ‘come to life’ for undergraduates by connecting between material covered in the classroom, and real-world projects.

“Students really benefit from learning about the design process and then visiting the facility under construction. It gives them the chance to see the real world practice of our disciplines, including civil, construction and environmental.”

Dr. George List

The students toured the waste treatment facility that is under construction at Chatham Park in Pittsboro, North Carolina. The site visit was organized by Tim Baldin, Bryan Blake, Todd Gunnell and Bob Huffmyer, from McKim & Creed, the design engineering firm for the facility. Bowen Construction was the on-site host.

The CCEE Immersion Experiences program is run by Dr. George List and alumnus Mike Creed (BSCE 1973, MSCE 1984), who co-founded McKim & Creed. The program is voluntary, and students must be accepted for participation as there are a limited number of spaces available. If admitted into the program, students are expected to attend all meetings and activities, which include 4 to 5 events each semester. Additionally, students are expected to participate in follow-up exercises after each site visit. The program is open to all CCEE students from freshman to seniors.

Upcoming events for the remainder of the Spring semester are being organized by Dewberry, Kimley-Horn and SEPI Engineering. The department extends our thanks to each host for supporting this enriching program.