Spencer LaBelle, a Senior Project Professional at SCS Engineers, doesn’t have a traditional engineering degree, and he’s proud of it. LaBelle is a 2015 graduate of Purdue's Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) program, one of the first graduating classes of EEE. When he began at Purdue University, EEE was just establishing itself within the College of Engineering.

It’s a busy day at Purdue University. Graduate students are researching, facilities staff are cleaning, classrooms are buzzing, professors are lecturing, sports teams are practicing, and Lindsey Payne is planning. Dr. Lindsey Payne, newly promoted to Clinical Associate Professor of Practice in Environmental and Ecological Engineering, often finds herself behind the scenes as a perpetuator of EEE projects, university initiatives, and personal passions.

Graduate students presented, networked, and represented last month at the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors conference held at Duke University.

Purdue University today announces the launch of the School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering (SEE), a bold new leap approved by the Board of Trustees to meet urgent industry demand for technically skilled talent. Effective July 1, 2025, SEE will be the first program of its kind to integrate the technical side of sustainability and environmental engineering.

Zhu Zhu, a graduate student in Purdue University’s Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) program, has been awarded the Uffman Fellowship to aid his research in sustainable energy systems and battery recycling.

As the field of Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) rises to meet the world’s sustainability challenges, Professor Xinyu Zhang is helping shape the next generation of engineers with vision, creativity, and a deep commitment to student success. An assistant professor of engineering practice in Purdue University’s EEE program, Zhang was recently named a recipient of the “Teaching for Tomorrow” (TfT) Fellowship Award—an honor that recognizes early-career faculty who exemplify excellence in teaching and mentorship.

“Today is likely a giant leap for many of us, following years of dedication and growth, but I believe that the greatest leaps are ahead of us, and one day we will look back and not see today as the destination, but as one of the small steps along our way.”
Kendrick Hardaway, Ph.D. EEE Class of 2025

Meet Genevieve, a senior from Michigan with a passion for EEE. Learn more about her below!

Each year, EEE selects three students to receive The Wangari Maathai, The Gaylord Nelson, and The Rachel Carson awards. Though the three individuals for whom these awards were named were not Boilermakers, they embodied the same greatness. They were the kind of people who persistently took giant leaps to protect the environment. The hope is that the recipients of these awards will embody some of the characteristics and passion of those for whom they are named. These awards recognize excellence and potential future excellence in engaged leadership related to sustainability and the environment.

Purdue EEE students, faculty, staff, corporate partners, and members of the External Advisory Council (EAC) came together May 1, 2025, to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of EEE this year. Seniors in EEE 480 displayed their semester long projects, undergraduates and graduates received scholarships and honors, faculty were recognized, and supporters of EEE were graciously thanked.