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Welcome

Welcome to the Byrne Research Group! We are in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Kentucky (UK) in Lexington, KY. Our research focuses on sustainable water infrastructure systems. We seek to apply and adapt quantitative sustainable design tools (e.g., life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, quantitative microbial risk assessment) to inform decision-making around these complex systems. In addition to research, Dr. Byrne teaches undergraduate and graduate courses focused on sustainable infrastructure systems. Please feel free to explore the information below that includes our group, courses, resources, and contact information.

People

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Research

Our research focuses on sustainable design of water infrastructure. All our recent publications can be found through ORCID. You are also welcome to read more about our ongoing work with the Appalachian Community Technical Assistance Training (ACTAT) and WaterWORCs programs as well as the Innovators at the Nexus of Food, Energy, Water Systems (INFEWS) Graduate Research Traineeship. Our group also enjoys collaborating on research through the Kentucky Water Research Institute (KWRI) and the Sustainable Futures Design Lab on campus.

Teaching

CE 519: Quantitative Sustainable Design

Description:  This course focuses on the application of quantitative sustainable design to engineering infrastructure and technologies. Quantitative sustainable design is a process of mechanistically linking design and operational decisions to sustainability indicators to inform decision-making. This process enables navigation of trade-offs across dimensions of sustainability (e.g., environmental, economic, social) so that design and operation can be informed by sustainability metrics. This course will focus specifically on environmental and economic impacts by using two tools - life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) – along with uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. The main component of this course will be a design project in which students apply this process to inform the design and operation of an engineering infrastructure system or technology of interest.

Level: Seniors and graduate students; Semesters: Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Spring 2024, Spring 2025

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CE 218: Sustainable Engineering

Description: This course focuses on the application of quantitative sustainable design to engineering infrastructure and technologies. Quantitative sustainable design is a process of mechanistically linking design and operational decisions to sustainability indicators to inform decision-making.  This process enables navigation of trade-offs across dimensions of sustainability (e.g., environmental, economic, social) so that design and operation can be informed by sustainability metrics. This course will focus specifically on environmental and economic impacts by using two tools - life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) – along with uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. The main component of this course will be a design project in which students apply this process to inform the design and operation of an engineering infrastructure system or technology of interest.

Level: Undergraduate; Semesters: Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025

Student Resources

Student Well-Being provides a centralized link to wellness-related resources on campus. It is also great place to start when you aren't exactly sure what specific resources you are looking for! Pigman College of Engineering offers a variety of resources for student success and the Graduate school also provides helpful information for professional development and activities on campus. Mental health resources can be accessed through the UK Counseling Center, and details on how to make an appointment can be made here. Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Byrne if you have any questions about accessing the resources you need.