Breadcrumb
School of Engineering
At Humboldt, our Engineering majors build close connections with peers and professors in small classroom settings. They get real-world, hands-on training in projects on campus and in the community. And they gain the experience for a fulfilling career that solves complex problems and makes a difference, locally and globally.
Bachelor's Degrees
New Program
Energy Systems Engineering
Energy Systems Engineering helps prepare students for careers in developing, designing, operating, and analyzing clean energy systems. Through hands-on work on campus and out in communities, our students learn a systems-thinking approach to engineering. Students build computational methods and data analysis skills, get opportunities for applied design work in elective areas they choose, and learn about the necessary climate science and societal context.
Environmental Resources Engineering
In this program we are taking the next step in the evolution of the discipline. We are expanding the definition of environmental engineering so our graduates can create solutions to complex environmental problems that sustain, restore, and protect our natural resources. We look for big picture solutions to energy, water, and ecosystem restoration problems.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering is one of the most versatile engineering degrees and can encompass a focus across a wide range of topics, including environmental sensor design, air pollution control, sustainable power systems design, mechanical and electro-mechanical machine design, fluid handling systems, HVAC and building systems design, and food processing.
Master's Degrees
New Program
Engineering & Community Practice, M.S.
Among the few programs of its kind in the nation, this one-year master’s degree program is designed to develop future engineering leaders who work with and within communities to sustain, restore, and protect our environment. The program is guided by an interdisciplinary approach that draws upon engineering, resource management, and Native/Indigenous knowledges and practices to address environmental issues.
Environmental Systems, M.S.
Environmental Systems is an interdisciplinary Masters of Science program that helps students better understand and shape the complex systems that underpin our society. This degree is not housed under the School of Engineering but is designed for students who have an Engineering degree. Below are three concentrations for furthering your Engineering education.
- Energy Technology & Policy
- Environmental Resources Engineering
- Geology
Minors
An integrated approach to learning by doing
We are reimagining engineering education to support students on their path towards a career in the engineering field of their choice.
- In the first two years, all students who are interested in Environmental Resources, Energy, or Mechanical Engineering will take a core set of foundational courses together. These fundamentals provide a well-rounded basis in natural sciences, humanities, math, computational science, data analysis, and engineering design.
- At the upper division, students will choose a major pathway and complete specialty engineering courses that go deep in that area of expertise. These courses take a project-based approach, providing students experience with hands-on opportunities to learn by doing.
- One more year for a masters: Students who finish their undergraduate degree in Environmental Resources, Mechanical, and Energy Systems Engineering will have an option to continue their education in our new, interdisciplinary Masters of Engineering and Community Practice. Engineering and Native American Studies faculty are combining their expertise to offer this advanced degree.
Real-World Experience
Undergraduates can get hands-on, experiential learning in engineering and design both on campus and in the community. Examples include renewable energy microgrids and water filtration systems—engineering in service of society.
Supportive Faculty
Our small class sizes mean one-on-one support from our faculty, whose expertise and connections will help you establish a solid foundation in engineering.
Career Outcomes
Our graduates are in high demand in a wide variety of fields that are tackling today’s biggest problems, like climate change. Humboldt prepares you to join those disciplines.
Environmental Resources Engineering Alumni
Achievements
Find out what our students, faculty, and staff are being recognized for.
Pascal Biwole
School of Engineering
Professor Pascal Biwole, of the School of Engineering, and his team have published several papers, including:
"Thermal mass vs. insulation trade-off in bio-based buildings: Climate-dependent energy performance of hemp, straw, and wood-based constructions", by Amer Bakkour, Salah-Eddine Ouldboukhitine, Pascal Biwole, and Sofiane Amziane, Energy and Buildings, Volume 358, 2026,
"Retrofitting Towards Net-Zero Energy Building Under Climate Change: An Approach Integrating Machine Learning and Multi-Objective Optimization", Ibrahim Mahdi, Pascal Biwole, Fatima Harkouss, Farouk Fardoun, and Salah Eddine Ouldboukhitine. Buildings 16, no. 3: 537, 2026.
"Experimental evaluation of literature-established delignification techniques on poplar wood", by Yi Hien Chin, Christophe Vial, Yoshiki Horikawa, Joseph Gril, Rostand Moutou Pitti, Salah-Eddine Ouldboukhitine, Nicolas Labonne, and Pascal Biwole, Wood Science and Technology, Vol 60, 22, 2026.
"Gradient-Delignified Wood as a Sustainable Anisotropic Insulation Material" by Chin, Yi Hien, Salah-Eddine Ouldboukhitine, Christophe Vial, Joseph Gril, Rostand Moutou Pitti, Nicolas Labonne, and Pascal Biwole, Energies 18, no. 20: 5519., 2025
"PEMFC cathode humidification: Can direct water injection compete with membrane humidifiers? A direct comparison study" by Flavien Marteau, Pedro Affonso Nóbrega, Cédric Sernissi, Pascal Biwole, Iona De Bievre, Christophe Vacquier, Christian Beauger, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Volume 172, 2025.
Eileen Cashman
School of Engineering
Dr. Eileen Cashman received a grant to lead a sea level rise planning and economic study for the Murray Field Airport in Eureka. The airport provides critical services to Humboldt County, including air freight, postal delivery, air ambulance, and Coast Guard operations, but faces growing vulnerability to sea level rise, making this study essential to inform long-term planning decisions for its future. The study will assess sea level rise impacts and develop conceptual designs for possible adaptation options. Evaluation will include flood prevention strategies, economic impacts, and alignment with community goals.
Funding is provided by the California State Coastal Conservancy.
Aubrey Cooper & Kaden Smith
School of Engineering
Aubrey Cooper and Kaden Smith, mechanical engineering undergraduates and co-owners of Change LLC, showcased an impressive pitch for their innovative Sodium Ion-powered motorcycle at Grow Tech Fest 2025! Their efforts earned them 1st place accompanied by a cash prize!