Vahidi, whose research interests include life cycle assessment, network analysis, recycling and reuse, and environmentally-friendly design, was initially drawn to Purdue University because of its prestigious reputation and the boundless collaborative research opportunities. He was additionally impressed with the exceptional faculty and the enthusiastic desire to collaborate received from fellow researchers.

“I feel a great honor to be the first Ph.D. graduate from EEE at Purdue,” Vahidi said. “I believe that during the last four years, EEE at Purdue provided me a firm academic foundation which will support my future endeavors.”
 

EEE Ph.D. recipient, Ehsan Vahidi presents his final defense on June 21, 2018. Vahidi is the unit's first Ph.D. recipient.

His research has led to several awards including the first-ever Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Outstanding Research Award, the 2018 College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award, and the prestigious Donnan Dissertation Fellowship from the Purdue Graduate School for the 2017-18 academic year.

Vahidi will continue his research by joining the Materials System Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a postdoctoral associate. Looking forward, Vahidi says that his long-term objective is to “seek a research and teaching position at an academic institution where I can share my experience and knowledge with others excited about environmental engineering and sustainability.”

Vahidi walked the stage of Purdue's Elliott Hall of Music for summer commencement on August 4, 2018.