2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Ecological engineers are increasingly needed to contribute to the design of “nature-based solutions,” “engineering with nature,” and similar calls for circular, resilient systems. With this need comes a need to formalize and grow the number of educational programs to train the next generation of ecological engineers. As part of the effort to meet this need, the American Ecological Engineering Society (AEES) formed a Body of Knowledge (BOK) Committee with the specific task of identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities that academic programs should incorporate into an undergraduate Ecological Engineering (EcoE) program. To establish this knowledge base, the committee first identified 13 example design projects (applications) on which a recent EcoE graduate could be expected to work. Example applications included the design of a stream restoration system and the development of a prairie restoration plan. Next, the specific tasks that the graduate would need to carry out to complete each design application, along with the underlying knowledge or skills needed for each task were outlined. Additionally, the necessary level of learning for each knowledge area was qualified, ranging from simple recollection of facts to integration of knowledge across engineering and ecology to develop designs. Each application area was reviewed by the committee and up to two external EcoE practitioners. Following the development, review, and revision of the application areas, the knowledge, skills, abilities were condensed by identifying the common knowledge across the applications, with a particular emphasis on key ecological principles new ecological engineering graduates should be able to apply in engineering design. This common knowledge is currently being summarized in the first EcoE BOK report. In addition to supporting ABET program criteria in ecological engineering, this document will provide academic departments guidance in developing EcoE curricula.