As well as teaching and collaborating with the management of the different organs of the University, the teachers also carry out research work. This area of work, not only of logical benefit to society, also allows the lecturers to update and deepen their knowledge, resulting in obvious enefits in their teaching. Moreover, research contributes to keeping the laboratories used for practical classes up to date. Finally, Research Agreements allow the incorporation of final year and post-graduate students in the research tasks of the Departments, again very effectively contributing to improving the training received by the students.

Lines of research tackled by the teaching staff of the School cover the wide spectrum of civil engineering and are related to marine and coastal engineering; hydraulic, environmental and energy engineering; structures and public works; land and material engineering; communication links, transport and urbanism as well as aspects related to the socio-economic, environmental effects, and the quality and safety of works being executed and run.

Certain research projects are carried out within the framework of the National Plan or European Union Research Programmes. Others arise as the result of agreements signed between the School and institutions or businesses.

In the various departments certain graduates start their Third Cycle of studies leading to obtaining their doctorate. They are required to pass a series of credits of a teaching nature and defend their “in depth research project”. Finally, after their Doctorate Thesis has been presented, they reach the level of Doctor, which, among other options, enables them to develop their professional activity in the realm of University lecturing and research.

The basic research units are made up of the R+D+i groups in the School, whose denomination and principal information is included in the following table:

Department: Business Administration
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
E-Learning in Engineering	Díaz Simal, Pedro (diazp@unican.es)
Department: Terrain and Materials Science and Engineering
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Applied Geology	Foyo Marcos, Alberto (foyoa@unican.es)
Geotechnics	Sagaseta Millán, César (sagasetac@unican.es)
Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory (LADICIM)	Gutiérrez-Solana Salcedo, Federico (ladicim@unican.es) (http://www.ladicim.unican.es)
Department: Water and Environment Sciences and Techniques
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Marine Outfall and  Environmental Hydraulics Group (GESHA)	Revilla Cortezón, José Antonio (revillaj@unican.es)  (http://www.emisarios.unican.es)
Environmental Engineering Group (GIA)	Tejero Monzon, Juan Ignacio (tejeroi@unican.es) (http://grupos.unican.es/gia/)
Hydraulic and Hydrological Engineering	Sainz Borda, Ángel (sainzja@unican.es)
Ocean and Coastal Research Group (GIOC)	Medina Santamaría, Raúl (medinar@unican.es) (http://www.gioc.unican.es)
Department: Geography, Urbanism and Spatial Planning
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Territorial and Urban Studies and Projects Group (GEURBAN)	Nogués Linares, Soledad (noguess@unican.es) (http://grupos.unican.es/geurban/)
Department: Electrical and Energetic Engineeering
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Electric Systems and Power Actioning (SAEP)	Vega Argüelles, Luis Gaspar (vegal@unican.es)
Department: Structural and Mechanical Engineering
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Building Management and Technology (GTED)	Villegas Cabredo, Luis  (villegal@unican.es)  (http://grupos.unican.es/gted/)
Department: Geographical Engineering and Techniques of Graphic Expression
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Graphic Expression of Engineering (EGI-CAD) Cartographical Engineering, Geodesics and Photogrametry	Otero González, César (oteroc@unican.es) (http://grupos.unican.es/egicad/) Ferrer Torio, Rafael (torior@unican.es)
Department: Applied Mathematics and Computer Science
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Applied Meterology	Gutiérrez Llorente, José Manuel (gutierjm@unican.es)
Statistics	Castillo Ron, Enrique (castie@unican.es)
Applied Mathematics and Computing	Puig-Pey Echebeste, Jaime (puigpeyj@unican.es)
Information Technologies	Arroyo Fernández, Valentín (arroyov@unican.es)
Department: Transport and Projects and Processes Technology
Group Name	Responsible / e- mail
Railways	García Díaz de Villegas, José Manuel (garciajm@unican.es)
Transport Systems Engineering Group (GIST)	Ibeas Portilla, Ángel (ibeasa@unican.es) (http://departamentos.unican.es/ttpp/ist/)
Industrial Actions Research and Development Group (GIDAI)	Capote Abreu, Jorge Arturo (gidai@unican.es) (http://grupos.unican.es/gidai/)
Engineering and Project Management (INGEPRO)	Ruiz Puente, Mª del Carmen (ruizpm@unican.es) (http://departamentos.unican.es/ttpp)
Construction Technology (GITECO)	Ballester Muñoz, Francisco  (ballestf@unican.es)