Civil Engineering and Urban Systems

A new engineering activity, Urban Systems Engineering, is emerging in response to the increasing demands of urbanization. Contributing to this activity are mathematics, economics, and the social, behavioral and institutional sciences (law, government, etc.), all of which pyramid upon an engineering base. Analytic methodology, theories and descriptions of the behavior of urban systems and institutions, and the use of inductive and deductive quantitative methods are particularly important. The civil engineering profession has a major opportunity in Urban Systems Engineering. Areas of responsibility and leadership should be identified and accepted enthusiastically, for if the civil engineering profession fails to meet this challenge effectively, the job will be done by others.