2026 News

2026

2025 2027

Jun 12

Fakhreddine, Grande Gutierrez, and Srimani receive NSF CAREER awards Opens in new window

Sarah Fakhreddine, Noelia Grande Gutiérrez, and Tathagata Srimani were awarded the NSF’s prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award.

Jun 11

Smarter systems, faster response, safer roads

CMU researchers are helping PA’s Westmoreland County modernize traffic incident management using an AI-powered system that delivers faster alerts, clearer situational awareness, and improved safety for first responders and drivers alike.

Jun 08

Presidential and graduate fellowships announced Opens in new window

College of Engineering students have been awarded fellowships for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Jun 03

AI-rside efficiency Opens in new window

Researchers apply a new AI-enabled approach to optimize airport safety and efficiency. The study, tested at LAX, reveals significant reductions in taxiway conflicts, fuel consumption, and hourly throughput.

May 20

CEE faculty receive PITA grants supporting infrastructure and mobility research

Six faculty members from the Carnegie Mellon University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have received grants from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance (PITA) to support innovative research addressing transportation systems, urban livability, infrastructure resilience, and data-driven technologies.

May 13

Pedal Power: How two engineering Ph.D.s founded the Tartan Bike Project Opens in new window

Civil and Environmental Engineering doctoral candidates Kenedy Sánchez and Hosea Santiago-Cruz created a new student-led service on campus, fostering community, connection, and confidence for CMU cyclists.

May 11

Green infrastructure for Pittsburgh and beyond Opens in new window

Civil and environmental engineering researchers are partnering with local communities across Allegheny County to develop practical strategies for deploying green infrastructure and strengthening the region’s resilience against extreme weather.

May 08

CEE honors the class of 2026 at diploma ceremony

On Friday, May 8, Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering celebrated the achievements of its newest graduates during the Class of 2026 diploma ceremony.

Apr 27

To go further, these drones take the bus Opens in new window

As drone delivery expands in cities, CMU researchers are exploring a novel idea: drones that “hitchhike” on buses and other transit to extend range, enabling faster, more efficient deliveries.

Apr 10

Seeing glaciers more clearly

A new remote sensing technique uses satellite radar data to deliver unprecedented insights into Alaska’s glacier melt, offering a clearer picture of their future.

Apr 08

Students design CMU’s clean energy future

Civil and environmental engineering juniors designed clean energy solutions for CMU’s campus with guidance from industry mentors and no shortage of hard questions.

Apr 06

Family legacy continues, sponsoring alumni awards

Generous commitment from the DiGioia Family, in honor of Carole Kerr DiGioia and Anthony M. DiGioia Jr., will help establish and sponsor the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s annual alumni awards.

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Mar 31

Engineering alumni “Rise” to the occasion Opens in new window

Four College of Engineering alumni were named to the 2026 cohort of CMU’s Tartans on the Rise.

Mar 26

Around the world with undergraduates

Hear from three undergraduate students about their summer study abroad experiences and how it enhanced their time at CMU.

Mar 25

Scott Institute announces 2026 seed grant winners Opens in new window

This year, a total of seven projects received seed funding, with another three proposals receiving support through the hardware and software tool upgrade program.

Mar 17

CEE celebrated at Pittsburgh civil engineering awards

The American Society of Civil Engineers Pittsburgh Section Engineers Week Awards Banquet recognized student and faculty achievements in teaching, mentorship, and service to the field.

Mar 04

Students pitch sustainability innovations at inaugural Hackathon

The Innovation Hackathon kicked off in Nashville, TN, bringing together Gresham Smith engineers, CMU students, and CEE researchers to showcase forward-looking solutions for data and grid resilience.

Feb 24

The road to electrification isn’t the same for everyone

Civil engineering researchers examine the socioeconomic characteristics of electric vehicle owners, how they’ve evolved with the electrification surge in recent years, and the accessibility gaps that still exist.

Research paper Opens in new window

Feb 20

AI + human intelligence = productivity and scalability Opens in new window

By using digital twin technology to integrate human intelligence with artificial intelligence, Civil Engineering’s Pingbo Tang is helping to make both workers and production lines more efficient.

Feb 12

Grounded in experience, growing through study

Joey Kurincak is pursuing his Master’s in civil and environmental engineering to advance his career in remediation and climate adaptation with Industry Partner Key Environmental.

Jan 29

Accelerating materials innovation through AI and data science Opens in new window

By leveraging expertise in materials and artificial intelligence from across departments, researchers from Carnegie Mellon are exploring solutions to the challenges facing materials discovery.

Watch the Video Opens in new window

Jan 26

Tapping into risk in America’s drinking water Opens in new window

A new Drinking Water Utilities Climate Risk Index finds utilities serving 67 million people face high climate risk. Yet 36% of their bonds omit climate change, revealing gaps in preparedness.

Research paper Opens in new window

Jan 15

What thermostat preferences reveal about U.S. energy usage Opens in new window

A new study published in Nature Energy provides a foundation for understanding how Americans experience temperatures in their home.

Research paper Opens in new window

Jan 08

Understanding human behavior in manufacturing Opens in new window

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University are investigating the patterns of human behavior in advanced manufacturing environments in order to improve human-machine collaboration.

Jan 08

Home electrification to stabilize the grid Opens in new window

Mario Bergés received seed funding to refine a model called Ibex-RL, an upgrade of a previous model that uses both machine learning and physics-based concepts to control heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) functions in buildings.

Jan 07

Remembering Steven J. Fenves (1931-2025)

Steven J. (Steve) Fenves, university professor emeritus and a distinguished member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty at Carnegie Mellon from 1972 to1999, passed away peacefully with his family by his side in Chevy Chase, Maryland on December 23, 2025.

Media mentions

Axios

Samaras, Jayan on hand as Allegheny County launches clean tech initiative

Scott Institute Director Costa Samaras and MechE’s Reeja Jayan were on hand when County Executive Sara Innamorato signed the ACT NOW Executive Order establishing a series of initiatives designed to position Allegheny County as a national leader in clean technology and advanced manufacturing. Samaras and Jayan each spoke to Axios about research and startup prospects in the region.

Bloomberg

Samaras discusses impact of proposed federal science funding changes

CEE’s Costa Samaras was featured in a Bloomberg article examining the Trump administration’s proposed changes to federal science funding. Samaras noted that research on the unequal impacts of air pollution across communities is foundational to understanding and addressing environmental challenges, and warned that restrictions on this type of work could limit critical climate and environmental research.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Samaras moderates National Academies webinar

Scott Institute Director Costa Samaras moderated a May 26 webinar hosted by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The event featured an interview-style discussion with Carbon Mapper's Riley Duren and set out to examine the current state of greenhouse gas data and where critical gaps persist, with particular attention to how advances in AI, data infrastructure, and remote sensing are reshaping emissions monitoring and transparency.

Stanford University

Samaras delivers Stanford Energy Seminar

On April 27, Scott Institute Director Costa Samaras delivered a Stanford Energy Seminar at the university’s Precourt Institute for Energy.

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