CU Engineering builds on sustainability leadership with new MS in sustainable engineering
The University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering & Applied Science is building on its leadership in sustainability research and education with the launch of a new Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering.
Guided by the principle of sustainability “by design,” the program integrates a systems-level approach with advanced engineering in the context of ecological integrity, economic viability and human well-being, preparing graduates to tackle the world’s most urgent challenges with durable, real-world solutions.
From extreme weather to systems strained by growing demand to aging infrastructure, communities worldwide face mounting challenges in engineering systems that are resilient, efficient and human-centered. Meeting these needs requires engineers who can balance technical rigor with an understanding of economics, policy and the human and environmental trade-offs that shape decision-making.
Yet the shortage of professionals with this breadth of expertise has slowed progress at the very moment when industries and communities are seeking sustainable pathways forward.
“Our world is at a tipping point where sustainable engineering is essential to ensure resilient energy and water systems, infrastructure and materials for the future,” said Karl Linden, chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. “CU Boulder brings together world-class faculty, cutting-edge research and Boulder’s culture of innovation to prepare students not just to respond to this demand but to lead the global transition to a more sustainable future.”
CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering features an integrated curriculum that brings together expertise from CU Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Leeds School of Business. Alongside engineering coursework, students participate in classes on business strategy, policy, management and data storytelling, a unique interdisciplinary approach among engineering programs.
This combination equips graduates with the ability not only to design sustainable technologies but also to evaluate their economic viability, navigate regulatory frameworks and communicate solutions in ways that influence decision-makers. A capstone project with industry or government partners ensures that students leave with hands-on experience applying these skills to real-world challenges.
The program’s interdisciplinary approach is anchored in CU Boulder’s world-class research across core pillars of sustainable engineering that students will experience.
Graduates of the program will be prepared for careers that span energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, water and sustainable materials. Possible roles range from power systems and energy storage engineers to sustainability managers, environmental process engineers and green product designers.
Equipped with both deep technical expertise and the interdisciplinary skills to lead complex projects, they will be ready to lead organizations and communities through the urgent global transition to a sustainable future.
The program is now accepting applications for fall 2026!
Learn more about the program and admissions requirements:
In resilience, faculty members including Abbie B. Liel (infrastructure and housing resilience, structural systems under hazard loading), Shideh Dashti (multi-hazard risk, transportation/slope and embankment resilience), Srikanth S. C. Madabhushi (soil-structure interaction, liquefaction, dynamic loading via centrifuge modeling), Amy Javernick-Will (post-disaster shelter & reconstruction, organizational risk management) and Evan Thomas (resilience in water, sanitation, and environmental systems under disaster and global health contexts) are advancing earthquake-resistant infrastructure, disaster recovery and new methods to assess and strengthen critical systems.
- In climate and water systems, faculty members including Edith Zagona (water resource modeling and management), Balaji Rajagopalan (climate impacts on infrastructure and Colorado River hydrology), Ben Livneh (hydrologic prediction and climate resilience), Aditi Bhaskar (climate effects on streams), Michael Gooseff (watershed hydrology), Joseph Kasprzyk (multi-objective water systems planning), and Zhi Li (flood prediction and risk assessment) are advancing modeling, prediction and design methods to create climate-resilient water and infrastructure systems.
- In water quality, treatment and reuse, faculty including Karl Linden (advanced disinfection and water reuse technologies), Sherri Cook (sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure), Cresten Mansfeldt (microbial ecology and biogeochemical cycling), Sheldon Masters (drinking water quality and lead corrosion), Julie Korak (treatment process design and contaminant removal), Mark Hernandez (air and water microbiomes), and Joe Ryan (contaminant transport and geochemistry) are developing innovative approaches to purify, recycle and manage water resources. Their work advances safe, sustainable water systems that protect public health and enable communities to adapt to growing demand and environmental change.
In sustainable materials, researchers such as Mija H. Hubler (microstructure-designed concrete, engineered living building materials, fracture mechanics, durability), Wil V. Srubar III (carbon-storing / biologically augmented concretes, low-carbon alternative materials) and Cristina Torres-Machi (recycled pavement materials, full-depth reclamation, decision and optimization models for sustainable road and pavement rehabilitation) are pushing forward innovations that reduce environmental impact and enable circular economies.
Faculty leading sustainability analysis, such as Torres-Machi (life-cycle cost analysis, optimization, data-driven decision making for pavement and infrastructure asset management) and Sherri Cook (life cycle assessment/costing, resource recovery, and decision-frameworks under uncertainty for water, sanitation, and civil systems), are bringing forward new models that integrate long-term cost, carbon, environmental and social metrics into evaluations of infrastructure and service systems.
In power systems, faculty members such as Kyri Baker (smart grids, optimization of renewable integration, building-to-grid systems, algorithms for large-scale grid stability and real-time controls) are optimizing the integration of renewable energy sources and grid stability using advanced computational tools.
In sustainable building design, CU Boulder teams including Gregor P. Henze (advanced controls, model predictive and reinforcement learning control of HVAC and mixed-mode systems, and integration of building operations with the grid), Moncef Krarti (optimal retrofit and envelope design with glazing, insulation, dynamic façades, and controls for HVAC and lighting, as well as renewable energy integration) and John Z. Zhai(indoor environmental quality, passive and hybrid ventilation, thermal storage, and innovative building envelope and sustainable systems) are pioneering energy-efficient HVAC systems, building automation, and holistic building approaches that minimize resource use while promoting human well-being.
- In sustainability education, CU Boulder faculty such as Jay Arehart ( life-cycle assessment and sustainability analysis) are preparing future engineers to integrate sustainability principles into infrastructure, materials and system design. Through curriculum innovation and applied coursework, students gain hands-on experience with the tools and methods needed to address pressing environmental and societal challenges.