CEE Involvement

Student Organization

Apply Your Knowledge Outside the Classroom

Taking part in a student organization provides an excellent opportunity for engineering students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world applications. Members gain skills in teamwork, leadership and time management. Student organizations provide contacts with industry for potential internship and job opportunities. They also help students become acquainted with their classmates while being exposed to the many facets of the engineering profession.

Earn Elective Units for Joining a Club! (Optional)

Students can earn ECI 098/198 "variable" units that may go towards the electives requirement
- If 'Freshman/Sophomore' standing, please register for lower division units (ECI 098)
- If 'Junior/Senior' standing, please register for upper division units (ECI 198)*
- *Only upper division units may be counted towards ECI electives for the majors.
May include no more than 6 upper division units towards electives.
Can earn 1-5 units per quarter
- Consult student lead and/or faculty supervisor for number of units appropriate. Generally, the more hours you dedicate to the club, the more units you can earn.
Submit the Variable Unit Form to civiladvising@ucdavis.edu BEFORE the 12th day of instruction to receive a specific CRN number to add to Schedule Builder. Anything submitted after this date will require a special PTA number.

Student Organizations Specific to CEE and Engineering:

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
The UC Davis Chapter of ASCE is a very active organization which was formed with the goal of promoting the success of future engineers. Members of this organization are provided with networking opportunities through biweekly meetings, company presentations, and field trips to job sites. Members are also encouraged to apply the knowledge they gain in their coursework to hands-on activities through participating in nationally recognized design teams, which are listed below. ASCE also actively engages with the Davis community through volunteer events.
E-mail: ucd.asce.president@gmail.com
Website: http://asceucdavis.weebly.com/
ASCE Design Teams
1. Concrete Canoe
2. Construction Management
3. Environmental Project
4. Geowall
5. Steel Bridge
Chi Epsilon -- Civil Engineering Honor Society
Chi Epsilon is a Civil Engineering Honor Society dedicated to promote the civil engineering profession by highlighting the characteristics needed to be a successful civil engineer and helping develop these characteristics in civil engineering students. Members of this club hone their characteristics for success through engineering projects, volunteer work, and social events.
E-mail: ucdavisxe@gmail.com
Website: http://xe.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
Engineers Without Borders
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) at UC Davis is a non-profit student organization established to help developing areas worldwide with their engineering needs, while involving and training internationally responsible engineering students. Collaboration with a wide variety of other disciplines is required for projects to be sustainable. In addition to engineers, we welcome students in agriculture, marketing, education, international development and other areas as might be demanded by the specific project.

Send us a message: https://ewbucd.weebly.com/contact.html
Website: https://ewbucd.weebly.com/
American Water Works Association
The UC Davis Student Chapter of AWWA works towards promoting the future success of environmental engineers and scientists who hope to treat and manage water resources. The primary goal of AWWA is to present networking opportunities through collaboration and mentorship between environmental professionals, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
E-mail: awwa-officers@ucdavis.edu
Website: https://awwaucdavis.weebly.com/
Institute of Transportation Engineers
ITE is an international organization made up of transportation professionals, including civil engineering students who have an interest in transportation.
E-mail: ite.ucdavis@gmail.com
Website: http://iteucdavis.weebly.com/
Solar Decathalon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an esteemed competition in which collegiate teams design, build, and utilize solar-powered houses. It is meant to encourage responsible energy use and research towards sustainable design utilizing solar power. In the words of Dr. Frank Loge, the UC Davis team has the goal of “trying to drive down the price point of zero-net-energy housing to help the housing market understand that you can have affordable, nice homes that are zero net energy.”
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ucdavis.solardecathlon.2017/
Tau Beta Pi -- Engineering Honor Society
Tau Beta Pi is a national honor society which was founded to recognize the accomplishments of engineering students throughout the U.S. This organization strives to improve education, offer networking opportunities, give academic recognition, and provide a social outlet for engineering students. Students are notified when they are eligible and are invited to become a member of the organization as they qualify.
E-mail: ucdtbp.president@gmail.com
Website: http://tbp.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
Theta Tau -- Co-Ed Professional Engineering Fraternity
Theta Tau is the oldest engineering fraternity in the country. This co-ed fraternity carefully selects members who are looking for friendship and professional development while also exemplifying motivation, ambition, and energy.
Contact: http://www.davisthetatau.com/contact/
Website: http://www.davisthetatau.com/#welcome

Multicultural Engineering Organizations:

American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) at UC Davis is a student-run organization dedicated to academic excellence among Native American students in the fields of science and engineering both within and outside our university. Although most of our members are in the fields of science and engineering, other majors are welcome as well.
Black Engineers Association (BEA)
The mission of Black Engineers Association is to be all inclusive and expand on the ideas of the Black community to increase the number of culturally responsible Black students who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. Join us and help craft the next generation of Black STEM.
Chicano and Latino Engineers and Scientists Society (CALESS)
CALESS fosters an environment where students in STEM thrive academically, professionally, and socially with the goal to better serve the Chicanx and Latinx community.
The Pilipino American Society of Architects and Engineers (PASE)
PASE is an independent student organization with the goal of facilitating professional development, academic retention, cultural competency, and social consciousness for its members and community.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
The Society of Women Engineers at UC Davis is an active section in the Sacramento-SVS area in California. Founded by Linda Finley, who is SWE@UCD’s current advisor today, the UC Davis section remains strong today with more than a hundred members. Some of our efforts include Night With Industry – a dinner for students with industry professionals, a “Big-Lil Sis” mentorship program, and Project Aspire, which is a day-long event with hands-on engineering activities for elementary and middle-school age girls in the area.
oSTEM
Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional society focused on LGBTQIA+ people in the STEM community. There are more than 65 student chapters at colleges/universities and professional chapters in cities across the United States and abroad. oSTEM at UC Davis seeks to empower LGBTQIA+ UC Davis students in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating an environment and community that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy. We strive to provide a safe space for all people to express themselves. To that end, we hold ourselves to a diversity policy built around respect for individuals regardless of where they are on life’s journey. oSTEM prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, citizenship, cultural background, socioeconomic status, age, disability, religion, or veteran status. Furthermore, oSTEM prohibits any harassment that detracts from the learning experience or threatens an individual in any form.

Research Labs

Enrich Your Knowledge by Partaking in Frontline Research

Enjoy the perks of attending a top research university by joining a research lab! Research participation provides an excellent opportunity for engineering students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world problems. Students who partake in research centers as undergraduate research assistants gain lab and research experience, and have the opportunity to work directly with a faculty member and other graduate students. Joining a research lab can also help students stand out in graduate school applications.

Interested in starting your own research project? Check out our Undergraduate Research Center.

Earn Elective Units for Working in a Lab!

Students can earn ECI 199 "variable" units that may go towards the electives requirement
Can earn 1-5 units per quarter--units must be registered for each quarter if lab participation continues throughout the year.
- 3 hrs per week ~ 1 unit (30 hrs per quarter)
- 6 hrs per week ~ 2 units
May include up to 6 variable units towards electives.
Submit the Variable Unit Form to civiladvising@ucdavis.edu BEFORE the 12th day of instruction to receive a specific CRN number to add to Schedule Builder.

Click here to view a list of our research centers