Water quality is a high priority among EEE’s research pillars. From contaminants to sustainable processing, EEE students and faculty love investigating this precious resource. Which is why it’s no surprise several of our graduate students found their way to the American Water Works Association (AWWA)’s Water Quality Technology Conference (WQTC) in Schaumburg, Illinois last month.

Kanaan is a PhD Candidate in Environmental and Ecological Engineering affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences and Engineering Program at Purdue University. His research interests include urban resilience and livability, particularly on how the effects of social-ecological-technological components of cities manifest themselves in human populations.

On Nov. 20, 2024, EEE students, faculty, and staff gathered for hot chocolate, cookies, and a musical showcase from fellow EEE's! Performers included: Chandra Nath on the flute (Senior Research Scientist), Xiaohan Wu with his violin (Graduate Student), Abigail Fouts with her guitar and beautiful voice (Undergraduate Student), and Cormac Fallon on the trumpet (Undergraduate Student).

On October 1, Holly Haflich captivated Purdue students with her presentation on water treatment and resource recovery using ion exchange membranes. Following her talk, Purdue EEE students had the opportunity to go behind the scenes with Holly, where she shared her journey as an undergrad, master’s student, and now a doctoral candidate.

U.S. News & World Report ranked Purdue’s Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering’s graduate program No. 9 and its undergraduate program No. 12 among the best environmental engineering programs in the nation for 2024, an impressive accomplishment, Purdue officials say, considering how new the program is.

Purdue EEE grad students came home with prizes from the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA) conference last month! Catherinne Mejia Melara won first place in the student poster competition, with Elizabeth Kelley in second! Both Catherinne and Elizabeth are graduate students under professor Heather Liddell.

When you walk into the office of Purdue Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE), you will see evidence of their excellent students, compelling research, and inclusive culture. However, there is more that Purdue EEE has to offer the ever-changing and ever-innovating world.

This summer, about 20 researchers from Purdue University Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) were awarded a cumulative $3 million in grants to establish a new doctoral program focused on integrating master’s and PhD graduates into environmental sustainability industry careers.

We have been throwing away treasure, according to Purdue EEE/ABE Professor Caitlin Proctor. Proctor is a part of a collaborative research group looking to recover critical metals from landfills. The project recently received ~$1.68 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Headed by Purdue EEE/CE Professor, Amisha Shah, this project collaborates with researchers from Columbia University, Lafayette College, as well as other Purdue researchers like Proctor and EEE/CE Professor Inez Hua. A key aspect of the investigation is using water to collect and recycle precious materials.

Thomas & Jane Schmidt Rising Star Associate Professor Hua Cai was recognized for her exceptional dedication to teaching on September 26, 2024, at Purdue University’s annual "Celebration of Teaching Excellence" awards ceremony. Cai received the esteemed Teaching for Tomorrow Fellowship Award (Junior Fellow).