Syllabus CEE 260-Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering, Spring 2009
Course Objectives: At the outcome of this course, students will be able to:
• Grow in appreciation of the importance and complexity of environmental engineering
problems and issues
• Use and convert relevant mass and energy units
• Apply fundamental chemical principles to pollution problems
• Set up and solve steady-state and non-steady-state mass balances for conservative
materials and materials undergoing first-order decay
• Summarize the impacts of major pollutants on water and air quality
• Determine if water is acceptable as a drinking source based on key microbiological and
chemical parameters
• Explain water and air quality treatment systems
• Identify and discriminate the classes of solid waste and how those classes are properly
managed
• Explain the method by which pollutant limits are set, and perform risk assessment
calculations
• Evaluate the data supporting global climate change and ozone depletion
• Interpret environmental issues to lay people, such as friends and family
• Function effectively in multidisciplinary teams
Program Outcomes:
The CEE 260 course objectives support the following program objectives, which are evaluated
for Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation of the
departmental curriculum. (These and other objectives (including c, g, i, k) are addressed in other
courses of your curriculum.)
(a) An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
(b) An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data in
more than one focus area
(d) An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
(e) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
(f) An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
(h) An ability to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic,
environmental and social context.
(j) A knowledge of contemporary issues
Course Meetings: 2:00-3:50 pm, Monday and Wednesday, Tech L221
Text: Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science
G.M. Masters and W. P. Ela, ISBN 0131481932, 2008 3rd edition, Prentice Hall Engineering
Instructor: Shannon Ciston Grader: Kenny Fournillier
s.ciston@gmail.com k-fournillier@northwestern.edu
Tech A225 (will grade homework problems)
847-467-4980
Office Hours: Monday 9:30-10:30 am and Thursday 10:30-11:30 am, or by appointment,
Tech A225
Instructional Method:
• This course is designed to keep you engaged with a wide variety of environmental
engineering background material and applications through readings, interactive class
periods, and a variety of graded components.
• Readings from your text will be supplemented with readings from additional sources, which
will be posted on the Blackboard course page.
• Class periods will be a mix of lectures, problem-solving and discussion sessions, and
quizzes.
• Quizzes and homework assignments will be due approximately weekly, and are designed to
keep you engaged with the material throughout the course (not just before an exam), and to
give you feedback to help you take control of your own learning of the concepts and skills.
• Two laboratory sessions will have graded reports.
• There are two exams: a midterm and a final.
• I will ask for your feedback at a few points throughout the course, so that the instruction is
as beneficial for you as it can be.
Attendance:
Your attendance at each class is required, and you should ask questions if something is
unclear. Please come prepared to interact with your classmates in occasional small-group
problem-solving sessions. I like to maintain a mutually respectful classroom, free from
distractions. Cell phones and the like must be turned off during class time.
Grading: Homework (8) 30%
Quizzes (6) 10%
Midterm Exam (1) 20%
Laboratory Reports (2) 10%
Final Exam (1) 30%
Homework:
Homework will be due at the beginning of class on the day indicated for each assignment
(also posted on blackboard). Solutions to each problem should be written neatly (or typed).
Mark each new problem clearly, show each step you take in the solution to the problem, and
circle your final answer where appropriate. Homework turned in late will be penalized 10% per
day it is late.
Quizzes and Exams:
There will be a quiz during weeks 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9 on the material covered since the
last quiz. The quizzes are intended to help you to gauge your own understanding of the course
materials in a timely manner. One midterm exam will help you to see what kind of problems and
level I expect on an exam, and help me to measure your mastery of the foundational material. A
comprehensive final exam will be held on Monday, June 8, 9:00-11:00 am. Exam questions will
be similar to those worked in homework sets and in class.
Laboratory Reports:
The class will be divided into interdisciplinary groups of 4 for laboratory reports. Lab
reports will consist of several parts: experimental design, description of principles, data
collection and analysis, and discussion of results.
Schedule CEE 260-Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering, Spring 2009
Week 1 Mar 30, Apr 1 Issues, Units, Material and Energy Chap 1 alt, Chap 1
Week 2* Apr 6, 8 Environmental Chemistry Chap 2
Week 3* Apr 13 Reactors Chap 5 alt
Apr 15 Lab session, Tech A230 and A245
Week 4* Apr 20, 22 Risk Assessment Chap 4
Week 5 Apr 27 Mid-term Exam
Apr 29 Water Pollution Chap 5
Week 6 May 4 Energy, Buildings and Transportation
May 6 Lab session Tech A230 Chap 5
Week 7* May 11, 13 Water Quality Control Chap 6
Week 8* May 18, 20 Air Pollution Chap 7
Week 9* May 25 No Class-Memorial Day
May 27 Engineering Ethics Handouts
Week 10 June 1, 3 Atmospheric Change Chap 8
Week 11 June 8, 9:00-11:00 Final Exam
*Indicates quiz administered during that week.
