Dr. Brandon E. Boor has been named the Dr. Margery E. Hoffman Associate Professor in Civil Engineering. This professorship has a 5-year term that will extend through Fall 2029.

Dr. Boor has established an innovative research and education program at Purdue focused on air pollution in the built environment. His work is advancing our understanding of indoor air pollution sources, their effects on human health, and strategies to improve air quality. By integrating cutting-edge experimental methods with mathematical modeling, Dr. Boor’s research examines the dynamics of airborne contaminants, including nanoparticle formation, volatile chemical emissions, and dust resuspension.

Dr. Boor’s research has garnered significant attention, featured by outlets such as Science, Scientific American, National Public Radio, and CNN. He led the development of a standardized methodology for testing aerosol filter ageing, to be adopted by ASHRAE. Dr. Boor serves as an Editor for the Journal of Hazardous Materials, the leading journal for research on the impact of emerging contaminants on the environment and public health, and is a member of the Early Career Researcher Editorial Board for the Journal of Aerosol Science, as well as Purdue's Journal of Service-Learning & International Engagement.

With 57 peer-reviewed journal publications, Dr. Boor’s research regularly appears in top journals, including Environmental Science & Technology, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Building & Environment. His work has also been featured in high-impact multidisciplinary journals such as Science Advances and PNAS Nexus. His 2024 study on nanocluster aerosol emissions from gas stoves garnered widespread attention, with over 300 media placements and coverage by more than 140 TV stations across the U.S. In 2018, his research on how crawling infants resuspend indoor dust became Purdue’s most popular research news story.

Dr. Boor’s contributions have been recognized by numerous awards, including an NSF CAREER Award for his groundbreaking work in indoor air quality and aerosol science. At Purdue, he has received the Roy E. & Myrna G. Wansik Civil Engineering Research Leadership Award, Roy E. & Myrna G. Wansik Civil Engineering Teaching Leadership Award, Ross Judson Buck Outstanding Counselor Award, Teaching for Tomorrow Junior Fellowship Award, Outstanding Engineering Graduate Student Mentor Award, and Seed for Success Acorn Award. His research on infant exposure to indoor air pollutants was selected for an ACS Editors’ Choice Award and featured on the cover of Environmental Science & Technology. Prior to joining Purdue, Dr. Boor was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, a Fulbright Fellowship to Finland, a U.S. EPA STAR Fellowship, and an American-Scandinavian Foundation Fellowship to Finland.

In addition to his research, Dr. Boor excels in teaching and mentoring. His commitment to fostering inclusive and dynamic learning environments at Purdue is evident in his success in routinely teaching large undergraduate courses of over 100 students. He has developed new courses, including an undergraduate thermodynamics course, a graduate course on indoor air quality, and a new Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) team – Global Air Quality Trekkers. He also created two study abroad courses in Kenya, providing unique service-learning opportunities. In total, Dr. Boor has taught more than 1,250 Purdue students, offering a wide range of experiential learning opportunities. Dr. Boor’s Ph.D. students consistently receive prestigious research and teaching awards, publish in leading academic journals, and earn recognition for their scientific discoveries at international conferences.