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Old CCEE

Record Turnout of Prospective Students at CCEE Open House

April 14, 2026
Image shows a crowded lecture room with a professor at the front.
Prospective students and their families explore programs, facilities and student life during NC State University’s Spring 2026 Open House. Photo by Adam Jennings

The Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) saw a record turnout at this spring’s College of Engineering Open House, with hundreds of prospective students visiting.

An estimated 600 people attended the information sessions focused on curriculum, career opportunities and the real-world impact of CCEE.

“One of my most important priorities as department head has been to strengthen our communication to K-12 students about the vast range of career options in civil, construction, and environmental engineering,” CCEE Department Head Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson said. “Our graduates not only design and build structures like bridges and skyscrapers but also are at the cutting edge of advancing computing, robotics, automation, and materials science for civil infrastructure and other projects.”

New, exciting demonstrations and games highlighted how CCEE research positively impacts water systems, coastal environments, roadways and more.

Demonstrations included:

  • A water distribution game from Emily Berglund, associate head for faculty development in CCEE, and her students, showcasing how researchers design and manage water distribution systems to reliably serve communities. 
  • A coastal lander and machine learning camera used to collect ocean data and support resilient coastal communities from Katherine Anarde, assistant professor of CCEE, and her students.
  • Autonomous vehicles used to study and advance self-driving technology in real-world environments. 
  • A driving simulator that tests scenarios and develops smarter, safer driving algorithms.
  • A disaster response truck from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) that supports rapid emergency response and safer roadways.
  • Hands-on student group projects from the NC State chapter of American Society for Civil Engineers and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.
Image shows people observing an NCDOT emergency vehicle.
Prospective students and their families explore programs, facilities and student life during NC State University’s Spring 2026 Open House. Photo by Adam Jennings

The successful open house was made possible by two-time CCEE alumnus Lawrence (Larry) Twisdale, Jr. ‘69, ‘70. 

“Dr. Twisdale’s generous gift enabled us to elevate our presence by creating new signage to promote the department, offer custom t-shirts for all attendees and organize a variety of hands-on activities, ranging from operating a driving simulator to experimenting with a water distribution system,” Gibson said.

The next open house is set for October. Stay tuned for more details.