Summer 2019 Newsletter
ceenve.calpoly.edu
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6 | CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING<br />
The Future of<br />
Construction<br />
Engineering<br />
Granite Construction, a<br />
leader in the construction<br />
industry, is working to<br />
impact the future of<br />
construction engineering by<br />
preparing students for the<br />
changing landscape through<br />
a joint heavy Civil minor.<br />
The landscape of construction<br />
engineering is changing every day with<br />
the rise of technology and the need<br />
for innovative solutions. GlobalData<br />
tracked 11,000 large-scale construction<br />
projects across the country and found<br />
that 10 U.S. states accounted for nearly<br />
60% of the total U.S. construction<br />
project pipeline value ($3.7 trillion).<br />
California is at the top of the list.<br />
As construction continues to grow in the<br />
state, the need for workers proficient in<br />
the latest technology and skilled in both<br />
engineering and construction follows<br />
suit.<br />
“The future of construction engineering<br />
is bright. Infrastructure in California<br />
and throughout the country needs<br />
development and repair. Construction<br />
engineers are needed to solve this,”<br />
said Brent Fogg (civil engineering ‘06),<br />
Granite vice president and regional<br />
manager.<br />
As one of the top construction<br />
companies in the nation, Granite is<br />
working to prepare the next generation<br />
of graduates who will fill this growing<br />
need.<br />
To ensure Cal Poly graduates are<br />
prepared to tackle this industry, the<br />
College of Engineering and the College<br />
of Architecture and Environmental<br />
Design launched a unique partnership<br />
with Granite Construction to create<br />
a robust pipeline of diverse Cal Poly<br />
graduates skilled in both construction<br />
management and civil engineering<br />
through a heavy civil minor.<br />
Fogg is working with Hani Alzraiee,<br />
civil engineering professor, and Philip<br />
Barlow, construction management<br />
professor, to develop the new<br />
heavy civil engineering minor. The<br />
Granite Heavy Civil Engineering and<br />
Construction program is a unique<br />
cohort program, bringing together<br />
students from both colleges. Under<br />
this program, students in construction<br />
management will have the opportunity<br />
to become more proficient in heavy<br />
civil engineering fundamentals, and<br />
students in heavy civil engineering<br />
will have access to more construction<br />
management classes. The minor will<br />
begin accepting applications beginning<br />
in 2020 and the first cohort of students<br />
will start the same year.<br />
The collaboration between the two<br />
departments will ensure students are<br />
receiving the training they need to<br />
address some of the most challenging<br />
problems in construction engineering.<br />
Fogg believes that civil engineers<br />
are a good fit for the construction<br />
engineering industry because of the<br />
skills they bring to the table, and he<br />
understands the important role civil<br />
engineers play on the job site.<br />
“Civil engineers are analytical, good<br />
at math and science, detail-oriented,<br />
organized in thought and process and<br />
good problem solvers. Construction<br />
projects from design through<br />
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