2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Lessons from the Revolution: Reshaping Curriculum and Culture in an Environmental Engineering Program

Presented at Fostering the Faculty in EnvE and Sustainability- ENVIRON Division

__________ University’s Environmental Engineering (EENV) program recently completed a 5-year National Science Foundation (NSF) Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (RED) project. We proposed to develop an innovative curriculum featuring project-based courses that integrate technical and non-technical skills around the major thematic threads of Sustainability, Systems Thinking, and Professionalism. We also aimed to cultivate a collaborative teaching and learning culture that rewards the use of pedagogical best practices for continuous professional development throughout the undergraduate program. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of our work with respect to process, implementation, and lessons learned. We present the knowledge and core competencies deemed necessary for our graduates as a list of technical and non-technical outcomes based on ABET program outcomes, the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, Body of Knowledge documents from both the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Academy of Environmental Engineers, and the Engineering for One Planet report sponsored by the Lemelson Foundation. We describe the new integrated project-based courses we developed for our first- and second-year EENV students addressing Sustainability, Systems Thinking, and Professionalism. We also discuss several higher-level courses in the undergraduate curriculum that have been substantially modified through our RED project, and which serve both Civil and Environmental Engineering students. Throughout our RED project we collected qualitative survey data on formation of engineering professional identity by students enrolled in the new EENV courses compared to those in the Civil Engineering program. This data provides insights related to the efficacy of our pedagogical shift and areas where we could continue to improve our program. Finally, we reflect on lessons learned during the project and the lasting impacts of our RED project on department culture.

Authors

Dr. Catherine M Kirkland http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3268-8570 Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Dr. Catherine Kirkland is an assistant professor of Environmental Engineering in the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University. In addition to her background in environmental engineering, Catherine also holds a BA in Anthropology and Sociology from Rhodes College. Her research areas include beneficial biofilms, nuclear magnetic resonance, and engineering education.
Adrienne Phillips http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3291-710X Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Dr. Adie Phillips is an associate professor in the Civil Engineering department at Montana State University. She teaches environmental engineering courses and does research in biofilms and engineering education.
Dr. Kathryn Plymesser P.E. Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Dr. Plymesser hold a B.S. (Case Western Reserve University ’01) and Ph.D. (MSU ’14) degrees in Civil Engineering. She began her academic career at Montana State University – Billings with a teaching and research tenure-track appointment. Dr. Plymesser joined the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University in 2016. Her research is focused in ecohydraulics and fish passage with a particular fondness for the application of hydraulic and fluid dynamic models to answer research questions in natural settings. Dr. Plymesser currently teaches Introduction to Environmental Engineering Design and Sustainability, Open Channel Hydrualics, and River Modeling.
Ellen Lauchnor Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Ellen Lauchnor is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University.
Susan Gallagher Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Susan Gallagher is the Education and Workforce Program Manager at the Western Transportation Institute (WTI), a transportation research center within Montana State University's College of Engineering.
Idalis Villanueva Alarcón http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-8767-2576 University of Florida [biography]

Dr. Villanueva is an Associate Professor in the Engineering Education Department at the University of Florida. Her multiple roles as an engineer, engineering educator, engineering educational researcher, and professional development mentor for underrepresented groups.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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