Mission Statement

 

The Institute for Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE) is an inter-disciplinary Organized Research Unit (ORU) of the University of California at Berkeley.  Created in 1950, in response to a state legislature mandate for research on water pollution and solid waste management, the ORU was initially called the Sanitary Engineering Research Laboratory.  The name was changed in 1982 to the Sanitary Engineering & Environmental Health Research Laboratory, and again in 1992 the name changed to the Environmental Engineering & Health Sciences Laboratory.  Finally, in 2000 the new name was approved to more clearly define the ORU's role in the broad area of environmental research.

 

The Mission of the Institute for Environmental Science and Engineering is to support research and teaching in the sciences and technology that are essential to understand and improve the environment. The Institute is multi-disciplinary and included not only a broad representation of the engineering disciplines but also a wide variety of other natural and social sciences. It plays an increasing role as a bridge between basic research, often associated with an academic environment, and the more applied studies necessary for sound environmental management.  Thus, IESE focuses the expertise available throughout the University of California on environmental problems of current and future concern.

 

The mission of IESE is being accomplished through:

 

á      Promoting environmental research within the Berkeley campus.

á      Supporting multidisciplinary centers organized by faculty.

á      Coordinating seminars, conferences, and professional training.

á      Maintaining an administrative structure that is responsive to faculty needs.

 

The major areas of research are:

 

á      Water and wastewater treatment.

á      Pollutant effects in lakes and estuaries.

á      Environmental and occupational health.

á      Geomorphology.

á      Chemical exposure.

á      BioScience and Engineering.

á      Nuclear Engineering and Environmental Risk.

á      Air Quality Engineering.

á      Ground Water Hydrology and Hydrogeopshysics

á      Microbiology.

á      Water Resources Management.