MS - Climate-Resilient Environmental Systems and Technologies (CREST)
The Climate Resilient Environmental Systems and Technologies (CREST) program trains future engineers to create sustainable and equitable water and environmental systems to meet society’s needs in a changing climate. You will develop a deep understanding of complex, natural and engineered systems and use innovative models and technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate change and its impacts.
Our flexible curriculum and interdisciplinary courses allow you to explore various scales, from nano to global and include experimental and computational approaches in your studies. You will master topics including water and environmental systems analysis, environmental systems modeling, environmental chemistry, machine learning, data analytics, and decision analysis by applying these principles to real-world problems. While there are no required courses, we've listed some popular options below to help you get started.
Developing Expertise in Focused Areas
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges posed by climate change effectively. Coursework focuses on energy and water systems, adaptation and mitigation strategies, decision-making, planning, and management.
Water and Environmental Systems: Explore sustainable solutions for managing water resources and addressing environmental challenges, focusing on understanding essential aspects such as water management, hydrological cycles, and geochemical processes.
Environmental Technologies: Delve into technologies including nano, bio, sensors & sensing, and robotics. We focus on harnessing these advanced technologies to sustainably tackle a range of environmental challenges.
Our program incorporates cross-cutting Methods essential in addressing environmental challenges, including risk assessment, data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, equity, environmental justice, and environmental justice. These interdisciplinary approaches enable us to develop comprehensive and inclusive solutions for a sustainable future.
Academic Outcomes
You will build a strong foundational knowledge of environmental chemistry, water and environmental systems analysis, environmental systems modeling, and decision analysis and applications of these principles to real-world problems. You can develop practical skills in machine learning, data analytics, sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), providing the tools to analyze complex systems and develop innovative solutions.
As a graduate of the CREST program, you'll be ready to take the lead in creating a more sustainable and equitable future. You'll develop, implement, and scale innovative strategies for climate change adaptation, oversee regional and global water systems, and pioneer new environmental technologies. Your journey will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to significantly impact our world.
From Campus to Career
Water, Research, and Career: Vishal Vaidyanathan's Master's Story at CMU
Vishal Vaidyanathan, an international student pursuing his Master's degree at CMU, found a supportive community and ample research opportunities that paved the way for his successful engineering career. With guidance from esteemed faculty, impactful research projects, and a transformative internship, he discovered his passion for water/wastewater treatment and now works as a Water/Wastewater Process Engineer at Geosyntec Consultants.
Current Role: Engineer at Geosyntec Consultants
Undergraduate: Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Track
Recommended
Electives
- 12-703 - Numerical Methods in Engineering
- 12-704 - Probability and Estimation Methods for Engineering Systems
- 12-712 Sustainable Engineering Principles
- 12-741 - Data Management
- 12-783 - Geographic Information Systems
- 12-749 - Climate Change Adaptation
- 12-766 - Special Topics: Climate Change Science and Solutions
- 19-707 - Multiple Criteria Decision Making
- 24-787 Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Engineers
- 94-807 Entrepreneurship: A New Venture
Water and Environmental Systems
Recommended
Electives
- 12-704 - Probability and Estimation Methods for Engineering Systems
- 12-712 Sustainable Engineering Principles
- 12-741 - Data Management
- 12-783 - Geographic Information Systems
- 19-707 - Multiple Criteria Decision Making
- 24-787 Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Engineers
- 94-807 Entrepreneurship: A New Venture
- 95-760 - Decision Making Under Uncertainty
Environmental Technologies
Recommended Courses
Electives
- 12-703 - Numerical Methods in Engineering
- 12-704 - Probability and Estimation Methods for Engineering Systems
- 12-706 - Civil Systems Investment Planning and Pricing
- 12-712 Sustainable Engineering Principles
- 12-741 - Data Management
- 12-768 - Decision Analytics for Business and Policy
- 12-774 - Foundations of Intelligent Infrastructure Systems
- 12-778 - Special Topics: Sensors, Circuits, and Data Interpretation for Management for Infrastructure
- 24-787 Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Engineers