Urban Engineering in the University

Problems confronting modern American cities demand integrated, interdisciplinary solution procedures, going beyond traditional approaches to urban issues. Current urban problems are both too vast and inordinately complex to be effectively dealt with by independent professionals working in limited and narrowly-defined disciplines. The ASCE Urban Engineering Study Committee has coined the term urban engineering to denote the new multidisciplinary orientation demanded of urban professionals. Universities are particularly important in fostering a more realistic approach to the city. Innovative curricula and interdisciplinary experiments in the real-world laboratory, which are presently underway at Stanford University, are essential media for preparing students to utilize their expertise in concert with professional from other disciplines in dealing with massive urban issues.