Environmental engineers have historically managed waste streams generated by industries that did not consider the environmental implications of their product life cycle decisions. The new innovative philosophy followed by Purdue Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) ensures that our students have the systems engineering, industrial, and life cycle engineering knowledge necessary to develop strategies that can proactively avoid environmental problems, with an industrial sustainability emphasis. EEE maintains a rigorous foundational training in basic science and engineering principles critical to practice classic environmental engineering and innovative product life cycle sustainability.

In just one year, the Environmental and Ecological Engineering program at Purdue University has nearly doubled the number of graduate students enrolled.

In May 2017, Environmental and Ecological Engineering graduate student Enze Jin presented at the Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) meeting in Eugene, Oregon. PIRE is a National Science Foundation program that supports projects which aim to advance research and education that could not occur without international collaboration.

Environmental and Ecological Engineering graduate student Ehsan Vahidi has received two merit-based awards in support of his graduate research. Vahidi was selected as recipient of the Andrews Environmental Travel Grant. This highly competitive and prestigious award supports travel for research relating to the world environment. Vahidi has also received the Hugh W. and Edna M. Donnan Fellowship, awarded by the Purdue College of Engineering.

Dr. Chad Jafvert, professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University, was recently awarded the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) Outstanding Publication Award for his influential 1992 paper "Reaction Scheme for the Chlorination of Ammoniacal Water".¹

For the first time this year (2017) the Outstanding Engineering Graduate Student Mentor award was awarded. This award is voted on by the graduate students in EEE to recognize a faculty member who has been an outstanding mentor to graduate students.

Meet EEE Alumnae Brooke Poppe (BSEEE 2015) and Ella Wynn (BSEEE 2014).

The EEE Outstanding Senior was announced at the EEE Recognition Night in late April. This award is conferred each academic year by the faculty of EEE to recognize the excellence of one member of the senior class. It is selected based on academic performance, leadership, service, and professional activities. The EEE faculty selected the recipient. This year the award went to Jason "Jake" Hawes. Jake received the award from Prof. Nies.

Environmental and Ecological Engineering Best Senior Design Poster were announced at the EEE Recognition Night in April.

At the EEE Recognition Night on April 27, 2017, several scholarships were announced. Treann Quick received the EEE External Advisory Council (EAC) Scholarship. Over the last few years, the EEE EAC has been working on endowing this scholarship and this is the second year it has been awarded. In the fall Treanne will be a junior in EEE. Treanne received the scholarship from the EEE EAC Chair, Larry Merritt (photo, upper left).

Dr. Chad Jafvert, professor of Environmental and Ecological and Civil Engineering, was awarded the 2017 Society of Environmental and Ecological Engineering (SEEE) Instructional Excellence Award at the EEE Recognition Night in April.

Environmental and Ecological Engineering and Agronomy Professor Michael Mashtare recently received the 2016-2017 Learning Community Exceptional Event Planner Award for successfully planning events that are engaging, exciting, and integral to student learning and development during their first semester.

Environmental and Ecological Engineering and Civil Engineering Professor Inez Hua is the recipient of the 2016-2017 Learning Community Real-World Experience Award given by the Learning Communities program.

Purdue Environmental and Ecological Engineering Assistant Professor Lindsey Payne has won the 2016 Community Spirit Award from CSSAC and APSAC. Payne is Assistant Director of service learning at the Center for Instructional Excellence.

In 2012, the External Advisory Council was established to work closely with the EEE Head and advise on all aspects of the program and strategic growth as EEE launched new programs. The EAC includes members from environmental consulting firms, major industry, government, and academia. Chris Rubak received a B.S. in General Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University.

This year, EEE welcomed the addition of two new staff members; Shawn Dildine and Azrielle Nunnally.