Civil Systems

In this American Society of Civil Engineers article, Assistant Research Professor Brad Wham talks about the steps water utilities can take to protect their infrastructure from wildfires.

The Marshall fire screamed across the prairie, exploding into homes with 80 mph winds and destroying entire neighborhoods. It caused over a billion dollars in damage in less than a day and took everything from more than 1,000 homeowners in...

A heat wave that pushed California’s power grid to the limit and the water system failure in Mississippi are just two examples of how a growing maintenance backlog and increasing climate change are creating a golden age of infrastructure failure. CU engineering expert Paul Chinowsky shares on The Conversation.

Professor Paul Chinowsky discusses solutions to heat-caused problems with railroads in a new piece by ABC News The article highlights how heat waves are causing warping on Amtrak rail lines, leading to travel slowdowns. Chinowsky, an emeritus professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and director of...

Engineers have studied disaster resilience in housing for decades – exploring and creating better solutions to keep people safe and in place after events like earthquakes with minimal disruption to their daily lives. New research from CU Boulder aims to take that work further by better incorporating the perspectives and...

Assistant Professor Sherri Cook is featured in a new piece by KGNU radio on "Putting Wastewater to Work in Boulder County." Cook, an expert in sustainable water design and resource recovery from waste, discusses opportunities for wastewater to benefit humanity. Listen on KGNU.org...

Assistant Professor Kyri Baker is featured in a new piece by Vox on a California pilot project to use electric cars to back up the power grid. Baker, whose research focuses on power systems, smart grids, and renewable technology, discusses pluses and pitfalls of the project, which is a joint...

Professor Abbie Liel was interviewed by Science Friday, a weekly NPR program dedicated to science and technology. She discusses bridge infrastructure and new ways of building more resilient structures in a segment produced following the recent bridge collapse in Pittsburgh. Liel's research focuses on ways to make communities safer and...

Nearly one month after the Marshall Fire became the most destructive and one of the most unique wildfires in Colorado history, CU Boulder researchers from across campus—many of them personally affected by the fire—have pivoted and applied their expertise to the aftermath, hoping to learn from a tragedy in their...

When working with University of Colorado Boulder Assistant Professor Sherri Cook, you'll push beyond the boundaries of what's possible. Watch and learn how she's building a more sustainable future, for everyone, through clean water systems.