prospective students : student organizations
Student Organizations

American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers was formed in 1852, making it the oldest engineering society in the United States. The University of Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional organization designed to relate students' knowledge from the classroom to practical applications in today's dynamic work environment. We accomplish this through bi-monthly lectures allowing the interaction between students and the industry, and through special projects sponsored by the chapter.
Better Living Using Engineering Laboratory
BLUElab at the University of Michigan is a student run organization that works to find sustainable solutions to development problems at home and abroad. We recognize that engineering students have a great deal to offer in the development of appropriate technology and we work to harness this expertise and apply it to real world problems.
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute is a national, nonprofit, technical society of engineers, geoscientists, architects, planners, public officials, and social scientists. EERI members include researchers, practicing professionals, educators, government officials, and building code regulators.
Graduate Environmental Engineering Network of Professionals, Educators and Students
GrEENPEAS is a graduate student organization affiliated with the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Program at the University of Michigan. The organization was founded in May, 1999 with the following goals:
  • To promote professional relationships and networking among graduate students, staff, faculty and alumni of the EWRE Program
  • To promote and stimulate academic exchange among members of the community sharing an interest in the field of environmental engineering and science
  • To provide opportunities for members to serve the EWRE Program, CEE Department, College of Engineering, University, and Community
  • To provide a voice to advocate for the individual and collective needs of graduate students within the CEE department
Michigan Concrete Canoe Team
The Concrete Canoe Team is part of the University's American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) student chapter. During the school year, the team designs and builds a concrete canoe in order to race it at the annual ASCE Regional Conference. The team actually designs the canoe, assembles the forms, and pours the concrete. The design aspects include defining the optimal width, length, and general shape for maneuverability and speed; creating a concrete mixture that is strong yet lightweight; determining reinforcement needs; and providing aesthetic appeal. The finished product must float when filled with water and is raced in competition. All interested students are welcome.
Steel Bridge Team
The Steel Bridge Team is a group of students who design and construct a working model of a steel bridge for competition. The team is part of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The students spend months designing the steel bridge, which is a 1:10 scale model for a mock highway bridge. The actual bridge span of the model is usually around 20 feet. Once constructed, it must sustain a vertical load of 2,500 pounds and a lateral load of 50 pounds. The bridge is designed and fabricated entirely by students. At the ASCE Regional Conference, the bridge also is judged on speed of construction, weight, efficiency (weight vs. deflection) and aesthetics.
Chi Epsilon
Chi Epsilon is the national honor society for civil engineers, which recognizes students within the Civil and Environmental Engineering department who exhibit excellence in scholarship, character, practicality and sociability. In order to be eligible for initiation into the society, an undergraduate student must have at least junior standing and rank in the upper third of their class academically. Graduate students are also eligible for initiation and separate criteria apply. XE strives to participate in functions that benefit the department and the community through service, social events and bimonthly speaker meetings.


For a complete listing of student groups within the College of Engineering, click here