Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering
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Environmental Engineering looks at the existing environmental problems in society, namely those caused by the implementation of solutions given by other areas of Engineering. In a world where sustainability is on the agenda, the role of environmental engineers involves understanding what tools to use in order to lower the environmental impact and the ecological footprint of human activities while maintaining the efficiency of related processes. Thus, this field of Engineering operates in pollution planning and control, waste, effluent and gaseous pollutant treatment and environmental system management, while optimizing soil and land use.
The Master in Environmental Engineering has as main objective to train engineers with the capacity to analyze and solve environmental problems and to manage natural resources. Students are trained in an integrated perspective (ecological, social, economic and technological) to manage the sustainable use of resources such as water, soil, air, ecosystems and raw materials, using tools for safeguarding, managing, preventing, treating and remediating problems.
The Study Cycle promotes the integration of the technological aspect of prevention and integrated pollution control with the management of environmental systems for an integrated management of the environment and human activities, with added value and reduced negative environmental impacts. As a transversal activity, Environmental Engineering favors interdisciplinarity, involving diverse and constantly updated knowledge and technologies, providing this Study Cycle with a wide range of optional Curricular Units to cover these needs.
An engineer must have the necessary training to face a new problem, be able to analyze it, identify the relevant characteristics and find the appropriate solutions. The aim of the Master in Environmental Engineering is to provide each
student with the skills to:
• easily adapt to technological changes;
• adapt existing methodologies to new problems;
• understand the economic, social and human aspects and their relationship with technical problems;
• develop personal
attitudes, such as creativity, permanent learning and updating, leadership and integration in teamwork, ethical and behavioral concerns;
• be aware that his/her choices have an environmental impact that needs to be assessed.