The construction process is composed of resources, such as equipment, materials, money and people, that convert the design drawings and specifications into a constructed facility. The management of construction involves people with diverse interests, skills and background. The owner, designer, contractor, subcontractors, material suppliers, banks, insurance and bonding companies, legal firms and public agency officials are, among others, very important components of the project team whose interconnected roles must be coordinated to assure a successful project completion.  In addition to the complexities of such coordination, the management of the construction process involves an understanding of the construction operation, planning and control, quantity take-off, equipment selection and utilization, scheduling and material flow.  An inadequate preparation on these topics will yield to problems in safety, productivity, cost overruns and delays during the execution of the project.   

In response to these challenges, the Civil Engineering program of Ohio University has recently incorporated the focus in Construction Engineering and Management (CEM).   

CEM Advisory Board 

A Construction Engineering and Management Advisory Board, consisting of members from a broad distribution of the construction industry, has been established to support and assist the CEM focus.  The Board is very active in raising funds to the program, establishing links with the industry, advising on course contents and providing students with experience in the CEM area through cooperative education and internships. Some of the construction firms involved with the CEM Advisory Board are: 

• BBC&M Engineering, Inc.

• C.J. Hughes Construction Co.

• Great Lakes Construction

• Harkins Development Corporation

• Kokosing Construction Co., Inc.

• Mosser Construction, Inc.

• Ray Fogg Building Methods

• Renier Construction Corporation

• RWS Building Company

• Standard Contracting and Engineering, Inc.

• The Sherman R. Smoot Company

• Tri Mor Corp., Inc.

• URS Corporation

In a new, state-of the-art CEM laboratory, students will work alongside faculty in the Ohio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment (ORITE), which conducts basic and applied research and provides service and technology transfer to government agencies, the community and the private sector. 

The lab will feature project control, simulation and virtual building software on which students will model structures and construction processes.  Because of ORITE’s participation in areas crucial to state and national infrastructure, CEM students will gain expertise and field training that will be immediately applicable in real-life situations.  

Current research in the CEM area is related to:         

• B2B e-Work systems for material procurement

• Autonomous robots for construction tasks in non-standard environments

• Non-destructive testing for quality control

• Effects of the construction environment on constructed facilities 

Employment Opportunities 

The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation’s infrastructure a “D+” in its 2001 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.  The poor grade reflects, among other things, the need for improving our construction practices.  There is a general interest from the construction industry in hiring individuals with knowledge in construction engineering and management.  The employment opportunities for graduates in Civil Engineering with focus in CEM abound.  Engineering News Record reports that the demand for CEM graduates exceeds the supply.  Also, according to the 2004 National Salary Survey, conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average salary for construction engineering jobs is higher than for civil engineering jobs.  The presence of the CEM Advisory Board in the development of our program prepares the students for the challenges of the construction industry. 

Additional Information