Famous Michigan Structures
This Detroit structure, completed in 1929, is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.
What is the Ambassador Bridge?
This invisible gas, produced by burning fossil fuels, contributes to climate change.
What is carbon dioxide (CO₂)?
This term refers to the design and maintenance of roads and highways.
What is transportation engineering?
This Great Lake borders Michigan and three other U.S. states, making it one of the most important sources of freshwater in the region.
What is Lake Michigan?
Founded in 1853, this is the oldest engineering discipline at the University of Michigan and has been known by several names over its history.
What is Civil and Environmental Engineering?
One of the world’s longest suspension bridges, it connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.
What is the Mackinac Bridge?
U-M’s campus buses run partly on this alternative fuel to reduce air pollution.
What is biodiesel?
These are used to safely support pedestrian and vehicle movement over obstacles.
What are bridges?
This basic process makes water safe to drink by removing germs and harmful substances in water treatment plants.
What is water purification (or water treatment)?
CEE undergraduates at U-M can join this student group, which organizes networking, service projects, and engineering competitions, and is affiliated with a national civil engineering organization.
What is the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter?
This dam in Midland, MI failed in 2020, causing major flooding.
What is Edenville Dam?
This Ann Arbor river is monitored for pollution from stormwater runoff.
What is the Huron River?
Ann Arbor’s main commuter bus system, often used by U-M students, is called this.
What is TheRide?
In 2014, this Michigan city experienced a water crisis, highlighting the importance of safe drinking water infrastructure.
What is Flint, MI?
This U-M CEE research facility, located on North Campus, is known for simulating earthquakes to test the strength of materials and buildings.
What is the Structural Engineering Laboratory (Structures Lab)?
Currently under construction on Woodward Avenue, this new skyscraper is set to become Detroit’s second-tallest building and stands on the site of a famous former department store.
What is the new Hudson’s Detroit building (or Hudson’s Site Tower)?
Each spring, U-M CEE faculty and students join this unusual Nichols Arboretum tradition, using human urine as a sustainable fertilizer to support the historic peony garden’s blooms.
What is Pee on/for the Peonies?
This unique 32-acre test environment on U-M’s North Campus lets researchers study and improve connected and autonomous vehicle technologies in real-world conditions.
What is Mcity?
Each summer, University of Michigan students and researchers help monitor this type of green growth in lakes, which can be harmful to fish and people if it becomes excessive.
What are algal blooms?
Launched to bridge classroom learning with hands-on professional experience, this CEE program has sent students to engineering firms, government agencies, and nonprofits across the country, often during spring break.
What is the CEE Externship Program? (ask us for details!!)
Opened in 2017, this Little Caesars Arena is the home of Detroit’s NBA and NHL teams–it required major collaboration by civil engineers.
What are the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings?
Civil engineers design these systems (two words) that use natural processes to filter stormwater and improve water quality.
What are green infrastructures?
This Ann Arbor-based company operates self-driving shuttles on city streets and collaborates with U-M researchers to improve autonomous public transportation systems.
What is May Mobility?
U-M researchers helped map this dangerous chemical, known as the "forever chemical," in Michigan drinking water.
What are PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)?
This graduate of Michigan’s civil engineering program in 1887 became the first African American to earn a U-M engineering degree, later making major contributions to bridge design in Detroit.
Who is Frederick Pelham?