The Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) Program prepares students to effectively deliver and manage the capital facilities and infrastructure that provides the setting for human and social activity, while also supporting worldwide economic development. The program applies the most advanced engineering and management techniques at the highest level of environmental stewardship. Our curriculum builds upon a student’s technical background to develop managerial and financial expertise to be a forward thinker through a mix of fundamental and advanced areas of study. We expose students to the activities and issues of planning, financing, procuring, constructing, technology and innovation as well as managing the built environment in a suite of graduate-level courses. Columbia students apply and discover concepts, methods, and strategies for improving the delivery and management of constructed facilities and systems. This breadth introduces our students to the variety of managerial functions found in the modern construction industry and prepares them for positions of leadership and responsibility within industry, government, or academia. Taking advantage of our location in New York City, the home of the leading design and construction companies, our students are able to connect with our alumni and leverage industry relationships to advance their careers and magnify their impact on our field.
Research in CEM in the department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics is led by Professors Pena-Mora, Odeh, and Chang and involves a wide range of topics such as:
- Digital transformation and Innovation in Construction: e.g. technological and innovative trends in construction industry (such as the use Drones, Modularization, 3d Printing, VR/AR), digital transformation strategies for construction firms, data strategy and use cases, digital industry landscape, cybersecurity for civic infrastructure, data analytics and visualization
- ESG, Sustainability and Net-Zero Efforts: e.g. sustainable trends, policies, and best practices, sustainability indexes of cities, site resiliency, affordable housing,
- Advancement in project delivery methods: e.g. project delivery systems, financing decisions, public-private partnerships, integrated project deliver methods, rise of design-build
