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About Civil Engineering

In the Department of Civil Engineering, we are developing tomorrow’s infrastructure. We support robust research programs in the areas of geotechnical, water resources, environmental, transportation, construction and structural engineering. The Kentucky Transportation Center – the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s research and training arm – and the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute are both housed within the Pigman College of Engineering. Add it up, and we are training civil engineering students to meet the infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow.

8 Faculty members

involved in Humanitarian Engineering

All People are affected by infrastructure

11% Annual job growth

Over the next 10 years

4 Faculty winners of UK Alumni Great Teacher Awards

of UK Alumni Great Teacher Awards

#2 Best engineering jobs (USNEWS)

$461K Department awarded scholarships

NOW OFFERING ONLINE COURSES

Are you a working professional wanting to continue your civil engineering education? The department of Civil Engineering is now offering online graduate courses !

Contact Mei Chen for more information.

CLIMBS Kentucky Climate Resilience

Read about Climbs on Ky NSF Epscor.

Explore our Research Areas

Find your path in Civil Engineering!

SEEK

The Summer Engineering Exploration Kamp (SEEK) will feature hands-on learning opportunities, guest speakers from engineering companies, and field trips to active project sites for rising high school seniors.

Learn more about the camp

Civil Department News

Shot of room with Dean Buchheit at podium at 2026 Faculty Awards Ceremony

2026 Pigman College of Engineering Faculty Awards

May 4, 2026

On April 30, the Pigman College of Engineering gathered at the Manchester Fountain Hall to honor its 2026 Faculty Awards recipients for their outstanding contributions to the college and beyond. Awards were given in the areas of research, service and education. This year, in addition to individual research awards, the college added a new award category to honor the work of a research team. The winners in each area are listed below.

Civil students co-host the American Society of Civil Engineers Indiana-Kentucky Student Symposium

Apr 17, 2026

Last week, the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers Indiana-Kentucky Student Symposium was co-hosted in Lexington by the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville chapters. Twelve ASCE student chapters from Indiana and Kentucky, including Western Kentucky University, Notre Dame and Purdue University, traveled to Lexington to compete.

Byrne with words "Sustaining Infrastructure"

UK researcher addresses water sustainability challenges through workforce-focused engineering solutions

Erin Wickey

Mar 31, 2026

Access to safe drinking water depends not only on infrastructure, but on the people who operate and maintain it. At the University of Kentucky, Diana Byrne, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, is addressing long-standing challenges facing small water utilities. Byrne received the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award with $547,471 over five years for her work.

UK Teaching Excellence Symposium marks 15 years of CELT

Trey Conatser

Feb 11, 2026

Last fall, more than 300 faculty, staff and students gathered in the Gatton Student Center for the second University of Kentucky Teaching Excellence Symposium, a university-wide event organized and hosted by the UK Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT).

Byrne wins best reviewer award

Feb 2, 2026

Diana M. Byrne, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, has been honored with the 2026 Best Reviewer Award for the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. The Best Reviewer Award is selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) awards committee and Byrne will be honored at the 2026 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress in Mobile, Alabama in April.

Pennell named editor-in-chief of Reviews on Environmental Health

Feb 2, 2026

Kelly G. Pennell, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and director of engineering research endowments in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, has been named editor-in-chief of Reviews on Environmental Health.

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