Scholars call for ‘social justice’ in civil engineering courses

Civil engineering courses should not just focus on how to construct sewers, build roads, or design bridges — they should also include “social justice” and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice,” according to a recent academic paper.

“Civil engineering students need to engage with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) so they can understand the differential impacts of engineering on individuals from different groups within society,” a group of professors wrote in a paper for the Journal of Civil Engineering Education.

Three Colorado State University professors, Aramati Casper, Rebecca Atadero, and Tom Siller, authored the paper, along with civil engineer Rahman Abdallah.