Environmental Engineering
With only one world to live in, environmental engineers are helping make sure we handle it with care. The skills of environmental engineers are
becoming increasingly important as we attempt to protect the fragile resources of our planet. Students in Environmental Engineering will have the
opportunity to apply science and engineering principles to improve the environment, water, air and land.
In Civil Engineering you can prepare for a great future with an environmental engineering career that offers a remarkable opportunity to positively affect the quality of life in our communities, our country, and our planet. Check out the Environmental Engineering area and join in on the excitement! You will have opportunities for research and education in a wide range of issues, including remediation of contaminated soils and sediments, industrial and solid waste treatment, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution measurement and control, urban and agricultural air and water quality management, understanding the environmental fate of pollutants, and sustainable engineering. Other options are also available through the
Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering.
Our Environmental Engineering faculty have leadership roles and participate in numerous national and campus centers and institutes. We offer flexible academic options and research opportunities in our top
environmental facilities for undergraduate students, as well as MS and PhD graduate degree programs. The Purdue Air & Waste Management Association also offers opportunities for student involvement in the advancement of environmental knowledge.
Spotlights
December 10, 2024
Listeners from the United States, Canada, and Europe tuned in November 6 to a webinar entitled Lessons Learned from the 2023 East Palestine Chemical Spill and Fires Disaster. The event centered on new discoveries from four rapid response research studies funded by the National Science Foundation.
October 17, 2024
The National Science Foundation has awarded $1.68M to a project team headed by Amisha Shah, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, collaborating with researchers from Columbia University and Lafayette College. A key aspect of the investigation is using water to collect and recycle precious materials from landfills.
October 10, 2024
In a new study released on the aftermath of the train derailment disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, Professor Andrew Whelton describes the extent of the contamination, along with problems with the response and cleanup that, in some cases, increased the chances that people would be exposed to hazardous chemicals. It offers important lessons to better protect communities in the future.
August 16, 2024
In a new study, Prof. Andrew Whelton worked with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to assess damaged water systems due to wildfires. The results, he says, shows that the damages have become a whole-of-society problem.
August 8, 2024
In this Washington Post article, Professor Andrew Whelton and other experts weigh in on the risks to drinking water infrastructure posed by wildfires.
May 6, 2024
Dr. George Zhou isn't a typical civil engineer, environmental engineer, or microbiologist; he’s all three. Since joining Purdue CE and EEE in 2014, Zhou has been recognized for his outstanding teaching, cutting-edge research, and impactful inventions. Zhou's research currently focuses on applying biotechnologies in engineering systems for contexts such as wastewater systems, antibiotic resistance, and biofuel production.
May 1, 2024
Congratulations to Dr. Chad Jafvert, Lyles Family Professor of Civil Engineering and Professor of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, for receiving the 2024 Charles O'Melia AEESP Distinguished Educator Award.
February 29, 2024
An interdisciplinary team of Purdue engineering students, led by associate professor Zhi (George) Zhou, is one of the top 15 teams among 225 teams in the country selected as finalists in the EnergyTech University Prize 2024 competition. These teams have been awarded $3,000 for their business plans and will advance to compete in the National Pitch Event this April at the Energy Thought Summit in Austin, Texas.
November 14, 2023
Purdue engineering professor Andrew Whelton is driven to help people, and has found an opportunity to do so through disaster response. In this short film from its series "The Climate and Us," BBC StoryWorks features Whelton's efforts to help citizens in Louisville and Superior, Colorado, in the wake of the Marshall Fire.
September 25, 2023
Andrew Whelton, professor of civil engineering and environmental and ecological engineering, has built a network of community leaders and experts who have dealt with the environmental aftermath of wildfires.
September 22, 2023
Ernest (Chip) Blatchley, Lee A. Rieth Professor in Environmental Engineering and Professor in Environmental and Ecological Engineering, has started a 2-year term as President-Elect of the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA). This will be followed by a 2-year term as President.
August 12, 2023
People returning to what remains of the beachside town of Lahaina, Hawaii, and other Maui communities after one of the nation’s deadliest wildfire disasters face more dangers, beyond the 1,700 buildings and dozens of lives already lost. Professor Andrew Whelton weighs in on the lingering health risks for humans and wildlife.
July 25, 2023
Inez Hua, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, has been selected for induction into Purdue University's Book of Great Teachers. The Book of Great Teachers was dedicated in 1999 and currently holds the names of 428 distinguished faculty.
June 28, 2023
Andrew Whelton, a Purdue professor of civil engineering and environmental and ecological engineering, has traveled numerous times to the sites of wildfires, where he and his students collect water samples to help guide a community on the best way to restore its water systems.
June 23, 2023
Ernest (Chip) Blatchley, Lee A. Rieth Professor in Environmental Engineering and Professor in Environmental and Ecological Engineering, has received funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Department of Energy as part of a collaboration to develop next-generation personal protective equipment (PPE) that will provide protection against airborne pathogens.
June 16, 2023
In this Bloomberg documentary on the environmental crisis following the train derailment and fire in East Palestine, Ohio, Andrew Whelton, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, shares the experiences of his response team in their effort to assist local residents affected by the disaster.
March 6, 2023
Team Carbonbusters from Purdue University was selected as the Great Lakes Regional Winner in the EnergyTech University Prize. The team was awarded $3,000 for their business plan for their entry, “Removing the Barrier to Entry to Net-Zero Biofuels.”
March 1, 2023
A Purdue CE research team is back in town after a trip to the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment. The team, led by CE/EEE Professor Andrew Whelton and several students, collected water samples from creeks and homes in East Palestine, Ohio, where a train derailed and spilled hazardous materials like vinyl chloride.
February 15, 2023
Andrew Whelton, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, contributed to a CBS News report about health risks plaguing East Palestine, Ohio after an explosive train derailment earlier this month forced hundreds of evacuations.
January 25, 2023
At the request of two Colorado cities shortly following the Marshall Fire, Purdue University researchers led by Andrew Whelton provided onsite technical assistance and studied the scientific and policy needs specific to drinking water systems' resilience to wildfires. The goal was to better understand the decisions, resources, expertise and response limitations during and after the wildfire.
