Graduate Admissions

Graduate Admissions

The Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE) is comprised of two departments – the Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering and the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. The Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering houses two program areas, Civil Engineering and Coastal & Oceanographic Engineering. Applicants apply to a program and therefore, if an applicant is interested in more than one program, the applicant will need to submit a new application for each program they wish to apply.

We strongly suggest reading the Admissions Checklist section before applying for our graduate program.

Civil and Coastal Engineering

The Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering offers graduate study and research opportunities in the following areas: Coastal & Oceanographic, Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics, Engineering Education, Geosystems, Materials & Pavements, New Infrastructure Planning, Structures, Sustainable Construction, Transportation and Water Systems. Research may involve theoretical developments, physical testing, and computer modeling. The department’s entire research program is directed toward engineering for the public benefit.

Environmental Engineering Sciences

The Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences offers graduate study in the following areas: Air Resources, Ecological Systems, Engineering Education, Environmental Nanotechnology, Water Systems. Students graduating from the program will demonstrate depth in individual focus areas as well as breadth of core knowledge concepts in all areas.

General Admission Requirements

The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) verifications are not required for master-level/Ph.D. applicants.

Submission Deadlines

The UF online application and all required application materials must be received by UF by the following deadlines:

U.S. Applicants
Fall 
Spring
Summer
Master’s
June 1
November 15
March 31 (only Distance EDGE program)
Ph.D.
June 1
November 15
March 1 
Priority funding consideration, Ph.D. only
December 5
 
 
International Applicants
Fall 
Spring 
Summer
Master’s 
March 1
September 1
March 1 (only Distance EDGE program)
Ph.D.
March 1
September 1
November 15 

International applicants, please visit our International Students page for the admissions checklist.

Note: We recommend that you submit your Graduate admissions application (link below) BEFORE submitting your official test scores and transcripts. You should NOT submit your test scores and transcripts to the department.

Please submit them directly to:
UF Office of Admissions
201 Criser Hall
P.O. Box 114000
Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 392-1365
gradinfo@essie.ufl.edu

Please read the entire section below BEFORE redirecting the page to apply for admissions.

Admissions Checklist

  • Statement of Purpose: Please indicate the faculty who you are interested in working with and if you have secured any outside funding in this statement.
  • Three Letters of Recommendation: Submit recommendations ONLY through the online application (no hard copies accepted).
    • We strongly suggest a minimum of 2 academic-based letters.
  • 3.0 Upper-Division GPA: Applicants must provide their upper-division GPA calculation. Include all courses after 60 credit hours that were earned toward your bachelor’s degree.
  • Official Transcripts: You must submit official transcripts from each institution that you indicate on your application to the UF Office of Admissions. For some US applicants, transcripts may be forwarded electronically by an institution if there is an agreement with the University of Florida. Upload your unofficial transcripts within the online application to expedite your application.
  • Official Test Scores
      
    Submit all scores directly to the UF Office of Admissions.

    • We do not require the GRE or FE for admissions purposes. Our only test requirement is for International Applicants only.
    • For International Applicants only: English Language Proficiency Test
      TOEFL required score=80 or IELTS required score = 6.0.
      For exceptions for this requirement, see the UFGrad School policy regarding “International students,” “English Proficiency.”
  • Resume
  • Background Courses
     
    • At least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of calculus.
    • One semester of physics and one semester of biology; or at least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of physics; or at least one year (two semesters or three quarters) of biology.
    • Computer competency
    • CCE Applicants also must have at least one semester of chemistry.
    • EES Applicants also must have at least two semesters (or three quarters) of chemistry.
  • Graduate Admissions Application
    If you are interested in being considered for both our Ph.D. program as well as our Master’s program you must submit an online application for each program. Each application will be reviewed separately and you will receive an admissions decision letter for every application you have submitted. You will need to visit UF’s Graduate Application page to apply online. Include the following information:
    • College: Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
    • Program: Civil Engineering (CE); Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering (COA); or Environmental Engineering Sciences (EES)
    • Research/Specialization: A specialization is required to have your application reviewed by faculty.
    • Approximately 24-48 hours after submitting an application, the applicant will receive an email with information on how to set up the check status page. Once it has been set up the applicant should check it regularly as the UF Office of Admissions could request additional items that are needed for credential clearance. Once all requested documents have been received, reviewed and cleared by that office, the department can then proceed with finalizing your application decision.

Second time applying? If you applied previously and you were unsuccessful in gaining admission, we will consider a new application from you if something from your previous application has significantly changed and you feel you are a more competitive applicant. You should include an explanation in your statement of purpose as to why you feel your application should be reconsidered for admission and what has changed. Our review takes into consideration all aspects of the required documents. For example, while you may have improved your test scores, your application may not still be competitive based on all other supporting documents. If nothing has changed, we do not encourage applications to reapply to our programs as you will receive the same result. Instead, we want to encourage you to look at other programs that the University of Florida offers that may be more suitable and competitive for you.

Funding Opportunities

Our funding is awarded by each individual faculty member. Students are selected by the faculty member based on their educational background, skills and experiences and needs of the specific project. Faculty will only discuss funding with those who apply and are admitted to our program. The number of assistantships vary year to year based on project availability and typically only students seeking a Ph.D. are funded, although a few Master’s students may also be awarded. Projects funds are disbursed throughout the year and it is not unusual for a faculty member to be seeking to fill Ph.D. positions after the posted deadlines. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to submit an application even if it is after the priority funding consideration deadline.

Students interested in these opportunities should contact the faculty member directly.

Civil Research Opportunities

Computational Geomechanics

Faculty Member Name: Xiaoyu Song

Faculty Email: xysong@ufl.edu

Faculty Phone: (352) 294-3656

Faculty Website: https://sites.google.com/site/universesong

Faculty Message to Applicant: For more information, please email Dr. Song.

Target Degree Level: Ph.D.

Semester Available: Open until filled

Year Available: 2021, 2022

Position Requirements:
(1) Knowledge of advanced geomechanics/poromechanics (knowledge of unsaturated soil mechanics is a plus).
(2) Knowledge of advanced scientific computing (e.g., nonlinear FEM, MD, CFD, DEM, and meshfree methods).
(3) Programming skills in C/C++, FORTRAN, python, etc.

Position Description: Dr. Song is recruiting talented Ph.D. students who will work on the broad area of theoretical and computational saturated and unsaturated geomechanics/poromechanics and geotechnical/civil engineering. The applications include, but not limited to, soil-structure interaction, failure mechanism of variably saturated soils under static and dynamic loading, subsurface multiphase flow/contaminant transport, climate change on geotechnical/civil infrastructure, energy, environmental and coastal geotechnics, and geo-hazard engineering.

Human-Technology Frontier

Faculty Member Name: Dr. Denise R. Simmons, PE, PMP, LEED-AP

Faculty Email: denise.r.simmons@essie.ufl.edu

Faculty Phone: (352) 294-6967

Faculty Website: https://faculty.eng.ufl.edu/simmons-research-lab

Faculty Message to Applicant: The Simmons Research Lab (SRL) at the University of Florida has fully-funded positions for graduate students with a BS degree in civil engineering (MS degree preferred) who are interested in pursuing workforce development research. Students must be able to effectively communicate with industry professionals especially those in the construction industry and transportation sectors. At the Simmons Research Lab, we work to pursues workforce research characterizing, expanding, sustaining, measuring and training the technical and professional civil engineering workforce in the US. For example, our recent work includes creating AI domain experts in civil engineering. The broader impact of this work lies in achieving and sustaining safe, productive, and inclusive project organizations composed of engaged, competent and diverse people. Four research themes: 1. Building the human-technology partnership 2. Augmenting human performance 3. Illuminating the socio-technological landscape 4. Fostering lifelong learning

Target Degree Level: Ph.D.

Semester Available: Open until filled

Position Requirements: Prior research experience is not required, but would be preferred. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Conduct literature reviews
• Collect and analyze data
• Prepare materials for submission to granting agencies and foundations
• Prepare interview questions
• Recruit and/or interview subjects
• Maintain accurate records of interviews, safeguarding the confidentiality of subjects, as necessary
• Summarize interviews
• Provide ready access to all data for the faculty researcher and/or supervisor
• Request or acquire equipment or supplies necessary for the project
• Manage and respond to project related email
• Prepare, maintain and update website materials
• Supervise undergraduate students working on the research project (maintaining records on assignment completion, acting as liaison/mediator between the undergraduate students and the faculty researcher)
• Attend project meetings
• Attend area seminars and other meetings as necessary
• Summarize project results
• Prepare progress reports
• Prepare other articles, reports and presentations
• Write and contribute to publications
• Develop research protocols
• Track progress over time
• Assist with preparation of all educational and training workshops and evaluation strategies
• Perform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned

Position Description: Eligibility: Various funding sources are available that would support both U.S. citizens and non-US citizens. Students who will earn a BS degree in civil engineering within the next 18 months or a MS degree within 6 months are welcome to apply. The earlier you apply, the greater the opportunity you will have to participate in early recruitment events and apply for funding.

If you are interested in this opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. in civil engineering, please send via email (denise.r.simmons@essie.ufl.edu) no more than one page describing:

1. What problem you want to address
2. How that problem is connected to the work of my research group
3. Why the problem is important
4. How you plan to address the problem.

Please also attach:
1. Your resume
2. One relevant writing sample.

Use “Graduate Student Interest in SRL” in the subject line.

Structures

Faculty Member Name: Brian Phillips

Faculty Department: Civil & Coastal Engineering

Faculty Email: brian.phillips@essie.ufl.edu

Faculty Phone: (352) 294-6394

Faculty Website: https://ufl.designsafe-ci.org

Faculty Message to Applicant: Interested applicants should email their statement of interest, CV/resume, and unofficial transcripts to Dr. Phillips.

Target Degree Level: Ph.D.

Semester Available: Open until filled

Year Available: 2022

Position Requirements: Applicants should be able to thrive in a collaborative laboratory environment. Excellent communication skills, a methodical approach to lab work, strong analytical abilities, and a passion for wind engineering are a must. The ideal applicant will have an MS in civil engineering with a focus on structural engineering or related field. Experience in wind engineering, fluid dynamics, field research, or experimental testing is preferred, with additional emphasis on proficiency in programming (MATLAB or similar). Applicants from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Position Description: To develop wind-hazard-resilient infrastructure, it is necessary that the dynamic loads from extreme winds (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, and gust fronts) be properly characterized within a flexible framework that is repeatable, scalable, and adaptable to many wind hazard scenarios and infrastructure systems. This need inspired the design, construction, and commissioning of the Self-Configuring Hybrid Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel (BLWT) at the University of Florida’s Powell Family Structures and Materials Laboratory (Powell Lab). This facility combines the reliability of proven experimental methods with extensive automation and new technologies to overcome the limitations of existing facilities, setting the stage for next generation experiments that transform wind hazard research. The BLWT is part of University of Florida’s NSF-sponsored Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) Experimental Facility (EF).

The graduate assistant will be closely involved in the operations of the BLWT with a focus developing new experimental methods that leverage the unique capabilities of the BLWT. These capabilities include the ability to generate transient flow structures through the Flow Field Modulator (FFM), the ability to quickly generate homogeneous and heterogenous terrains through the Terraformer, and cyber-infrastructure that enables new hardware-in-the-loop approaches in wind engineering. The graduate assistant will be supervised by Dr. Phillips and work closely with other lab researchers and staff. Ultimately, the graduate assistant’s research will help better understand the forces on infrastructure under extreme wind loads by closely replicating real-world conditions through advanced experimental testing.

Additionally, the graduate assistant will participate in the education and outreach activities of the EF. In particular, they will participate in the EF’s K-12 teacher training program and will mentor the K-12 teacher participants’ students over the course of a semester-long design project.

Transportation Engineering

Faculty Member Name: Siva Srinivasan

Faculty Email: siva@ce.ufl.edu

Faculty Website: https://www.transportation.institute.ufl.edu/education/transportation-engineering-graduate-program

Faculty Message to Applicant: This information is posted on behalf of all Transportation Faculty Members. Please reach out to the faculty member you would like to work with (Drs Agarwal, Elefteriadou, Du, Gao, Srinivasan, Washburn, and Zhao) <OR> write to Dr. Srinivasan clearly identifying the research areas that are of interest to you so that he can forward your message to the appropriate faculty member(s).

Target Degree Level: Ph.D.

Semester Available: Open until filled

Year Available: Fall 2021 and beyond

Position Requirements: We are looking for students with strong analytical capabilities (one or more of statistics, big data analytics, optimization, simulation, machine learning, modeling, programming, GIS) and excellent written and oral communication skills interested in addressing various current and future transportation problems. Students from a variety of undergraduate/masters disciplines including Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, or Industrial and Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Urban Planning, and Economics will be considered based on interests and expertise.

Position Description: The Ph.D. program in Transportation Engineering at UFTI offers students exciting opportunities to work on cutting-edge inter-disciplinary research on the theory of traffic flow, simulation and optimization of transportation systems, traveler behavior, infrastructure design and monitoring, transportation big data analytics and machine learning, emergent technologies such as electric/automated vehicles, new travel modes such as micro-mobility and ride-hailing, dynamic traveler information systems, and safety, sustainability and resilience of multi-modal transportation systems. Students could work on projects involving real-world deployments in the I-STREET testbed in Gainesville. Funding for doctoral students comes from various sources such as Florida Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, the University Transportation Centers, and the National Science Foundation.

Coastal Research Opportunities

There are no opportunities available at this time.

Environmental Research Opportunities

Water Systems

Faculty Member Name: Katherine Deliz

Faculty Email: katherine.deliz@essie.ufl.edu

Faculty Phone:
(352) 846-3913

Faculty Website:
https://www.essie.ufl.edu/people/name/katherine-deliz-quinones

Target Degree Level: Ph.D.

Semester Available: Open until filled

Year Available: 2021

Position Requirements:
The strongest candidates are team players with a science or engineering background (preferably in environmental, chemical and biological fields), field sampling and laboratory experience, and strong analytical and technical writing skills.

Interested candidates are encouraged to send Dr. Deliz a brief statement of interest summarizing research experience and career goals, a CV including relevant courses and GPA, and the contact information of at least 2 references at katherine.deliz@essie.ufl.edu.

Position Description: Dr. Katherine Deliz Quiñones, a Research Faculty in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida is seeking a talented and motivated PhD student to work on a 3-year fully funded EPA-STAR project, to help build resilience in vulnerable communities. Overall, the study will assess how flooding, caused by extreme weather events in Florida, affects the migration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from contaminated sites to nearby communities, and the societal factors that could exacerbate the exposure risk and potential health outcomes of vulnerable groups in the population.

The selected candidate is expected to participate in fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and use of advanced analytical equipment to investigate occurrence, source, fate and transport of PFAS in the environment, and their sorption, desorption and partition coefficient under changing environmental conditions.

The candidate will also have an opportunity to collaborate with non-for profit organizations and other graduate students in community engagement and modeling efforts for the project.

Systems Ecology and Ecological Engineering

Faculty Member Name: David Kaplan

Faculty Email: dkaplan@ufl.edu

Faculty Phone: (352) 392-8439

Faculty Website: https://www.watershedecology.org

Faculty Message to Applicant: Reach out by email: dkaplan@ufl.edu

Target Degree Level: Masters

Semester Available: Open until filled

Year Available: 2021

Position Requirements: Ideal applicants will have a strong background in wetland ecology, hydrology, soil science, and/or biology, excellent written and oral communication skills, and a demonstrated potential to conduct intensive, field-based research as part of an interdisciplinary team. Experience in science communication is a plus.

Fieldwork will begin in May 2021 will include multi-day travel, long field days, and challenging conditions (heat, insects, strenuous physical conditions). Applicants must be available for the full first field season beginning May 1, 2021, and attendance at EPA-led trainings (virtual or in-person TBD) in March/April is strongly encouraged.

Position Description: National Wetlands Condition Assessment – Research Assistantship

A 2.5-year MS graduate student assistantship in Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida is available as part of an EPA-funded project to assess the status of wetlands across the United States. Beginning in 2021, the H.T. Odum Center for Wetlands at the University of Florida will be implementing Florida’s participation in the National Wetlands Condition Assessment (NWCA), a collaborative survey of our nation’s wetlands. The NWCA examines the chemical, physical and biological integrity of wetlands through a set of commonly used and widely accepted indicators.

The MS student hired through this program will participate in intensive field monitoring to assess the ecological integrity of >50 wetlands across the state of Florida. Students will receive training in field data collection and analysis techniques from the EPA and from UF faculty and project staff. Fieldwork will begin in May 2021 will include multi-day travel, long field days, and challenging conditions (heat, insects, strenuous physical conditions). Applicants must be available for the full first field season beginning May 1, 2021, and attendance at EPA-led trainings (virtual or in-person TBD) in March/April is strongly encouraged.

Ideal applicants will have a strong background in wetland ecology, hydrology, soil science, and/or biology, excellent written and oral communication skills, and a demonstrated potential to conduct intensive, field-based research as part of an interdisciplinary team. Experience in science communication is a plus. Students will be encouraged to use the field data collected, as well as a large database of previously collected NWCA data, to motivate their own research, but will also have the flexibility to pursue relevant and complementary topics.

Assistantships include stipend, tuition, and benefits. Interested applicants should email a copy of their CV and a brief statement (<500 words) outlining their interests, suitability, and availability for the assistantship to Dr. David Kaplan (dkaplan@ufl.edu) by January 15th, 2021. For more info about the Department, Center, and Dr. Kaplan’s Lab, visit: https://www.essie.ufl.edu, https://cfw.essie.ufl.edu, and https://www.watershedecology.org.

Additional Funding Opportunities

Additional Resources