The William States Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is one of the finest engineering colleges in the Southeast. Emphasizing applied research in its educational programs, the college prepares students for careers in engineering through meaningful hands-on involvement and interactive teamwork. Students and faculty work with government, the private sector, and other universities to develop practical advances in technology. Locally and throughout the world, their efforts affect positive economic and environmental change.
With cross-disciplinary expertise and capabilities, UNC Charlotte’s renowned engineering research centers provide the tools to tackle real-world challenges in a strong academic environment. The centers, together with the funded research programs of the faculty, support graduate programs in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering Technology and Construction Management, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering focus their research on the built environment and developing resilient and sustainable solutions. These solutions are created through numerical, laboratory, and field-based research. Faculty are active participants in the University’s Infrastructure, Design, Environment, and Sustainability Center (IDEAS) and the Center for Advanced Multimodal Mobility Solutions and Education (CAMMSE). The department, in conjunction with the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, also assumes a key role in the interdisciplinary Infrastructure and Environmental Systems doctoral program.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) offers multidisciplinary programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Students are provided with breadth of knowledge in electrical and computer engineering and depth of knowledge in their chosen research area. The department is staffed with a prestigious faculty conducting research in various areas that include: communications, networking, signal and image processing, control systems, robotics, embedded systems, computer vision, machine learning, AI, high performance computing, RF systems, metameterials and metasurfaces, ultra low-power electronic devices, optoelectronics, microelectronics, power systems modeling and analysis, power systems stability and control, smart grids and micro-grids, renewable energy, power electronics, and many others. The department has a full range of state-of-the-art laboratories, enabling faculty and students to conduct research at the cutting-edge of technology. ECE faculty are also associated with several interdisciplinary centers such as the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC), the Center for Metamaterials (CFM), and the Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications.
Engineering Technology and Construction Management
The college offers graduate programs in Applied Energy and Electromechanical Engineering, Construction and Facilities Engineering, and Fire Protection and Safety Management through the Department of Engineering Technology and Construction Management. These programs focus on applied technology and meet the requirements for expanded education and training in these growing areas of technical importance.
Industrial and Systems Engineering
The Center for Lean Logistics and Engineered Systems provides industry access to the expertise of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering faculty assisting them in remaining competitive in global markets. The faculty provide educational opportunities ranging from traditional coursework to continuing education. The offerings span topics from healthcare to energy analytics and industrial systems optimization. The faculty also participates in the Infrastructure and Environmental Systems doctoral program.
Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science
The Center for Precision Metrology, under the direction of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, helps manufacturers in many industries, including automotive, aircraft, and computer manufacturing to produce perfect parts through the aid of state-of-the-art measurement systems. The center’s measurement capability ranges from the atomic scale in environmentally controlled laboratories to meter scale parts in the Siemens Energy Large Manufacturing Solutions Laboratory. The department’s research programs in computational modeling and the Center for Biomedical Engineering and Science focus on improving the design, control, and manufacturing of engineered and biological systems. The North Carolina Motorsports and Automotive Research Center provides an opportunity to develop systems for the next generation of vehicles as well as providing a platform for development in automotive competition.
Graduate Programs
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computer Engineering
Construction and Facilities Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Energy and Electromechanical Systems
Engineering Management
Fire Protection and Safety Management
Infrastructure and Environmental Systems
Mechanical Engineering
