Learn how researchers identified a long-unknown source of PFAS contamination in North Carolina drinking water and how the discovery should impact others looking at their own water supplies. 

Dear Colleagues,

I am continually inspired by how our faculty, staff, and students tackle society’s wicked problems by looking beneath the surface — sometimes literally — to better understand natural and engineered systems. The stories featured here highlight research that questions long-held assumptions, develop new ways to model the world around us, and translate insight into impact for climate, energy, and public health. This work reflects our department’s core strength: rigorous engineering that informs decisions that shape the future of our society.

Whether examining biological responses to environmental change, reimagining how we supply energy using natural subsurface conditions, or tracing contaminants back to their sources, Duke CEE researchers are focused on addressing root causes through interdisciplinary collaboration with campus and community partners. This is the kind of scholarship that defines civil and environmental engineering today, and I am excited to see where it takes us next. 

Henri P. Gavin, PhD
W.H. Gardner Jr. Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Professor in the Department of CEE

Find out why understanding the balance of carbon dioxide and water controlled by trees’ leaves at the microscopic scale matters for global climate predictions. 

Check out highlights from a multidisciplinary symposium focused on harnessing underground heat for more sustainable energy systems. 

See how genomic analysis of toxic algal blooms in coastal North Carolina could lead to early‑warning tools and water sampling tests that protect public health.

Follow Duke CEE on LinkedIn for more!

Hear from Professor Laura Dalton about how she uses X-Ray Micro Computed Tomography (or micro-CT) to get a closer look at the microstructures that make up our world. 

“There is a lot of value in looking at these environmental and biological questions from an engineering perspective.” 

—GABY KATUL

CEE George Pearsall Distinguished Professor,

on using models to predict tree growth in a carbon-enriched world 

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