SEE Welcome Back Reception

Thursday, September 3; 5-7PM in STEW 214.  Join SEE students, faculty and staff to kick off Fall 2026. Appetizers, desserts, and beverages provided. Come and go as needed.  Please feel free to arrive whenever you would like (after 5PM fine) and stay for as long as you can. Dress is casual. See attached flyer for details.

SEE Job Tune Up Seminar by Ms. Whelton

Wednesday, September 9 at 4:30-6pm in POTR 234 (Fu Room).  Come and go as your schedule allows. See attached flyer.

Led by Ms. Meg Whelton.  As an environmental engineer who has worked in your field, she will give overall tips and advice in addition to answering your questions! This is a great preparation tool prior to Industrial Roundtable.  Sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students are welcome.  

SEE Company Night 

Monday, September 14 at 6-8:30pm in Howard Taylor Conference Rm of the Co-Rec.  See attached flyer.

Come engage with multiple company representatives that want to meet EEE students prior to Industrial Roundtable. 

Job Corner with Ms. Whelton, PE

This section is prepared for the newsletter by Ms. Margaret Whelton, PE.  She is the SEE Manager of Industrial Experience.  The responsibilities of this position include working with industry to secure internships, co-ops, and full-time job opportunities for students; developing real world senior design and research projects; and facilitating partnerships between industry and Environmental and Ecological Engineering. She has twelve years of experience as a practicing environmental engineer prior to becoming part of SEE.  She is a registered professional engineer in Indiana, Virginia, and Alabama. 

There are several ways we will notify you about job opportunities or networking opportunities: 

Throughout the school year there will be emails sent out in regard to networking opportunities or jobs.  If you receive an email from Ms. Whelton it will be in regard to job opportunities or other opportunities for you to connect (and potentially land a job) with companies.  Please pay attention to these emails.  Networking opportunities may also come from other SEE faculty and staff. 

Opportunities could also be given in the newsletter.  All newsletters are archived on the SEE website so you can refer to past newsletters for key information including job opportunities. 

Another way SEEs may let you know about opportunities is on social media.  Like “Purdue University SEE” on Facebook and “Purdue University School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering” on Linked In, and “Purdue SEE” on twitter if you haven’t already.

SEEE (Society of Environmental and Ecological Engineers) also maintains a Linked In group where EEE alumni post job opportunities.  Follow “Purdue Environmental & Ecological Engineering Alumni Network” to connect with current EEEs, alumni and learn about job opportunities.

Some companies contact the CCO (Center for Career Opportunities) directly about job opportunities.  You should create your myCCO account and upload your resume.  There are many opportunities for EEEs through the CCO and we encourage companies to post jobs for EEEs wherever they are most comfortable.  More information on and how to sign up for myCCO is here: https://www.cco.purdue.edu/#myCCO

Career fair season is starting soon and Industrial Roundtable is right around the corner.  To prepare for this and other job-oriented events, SEE is sponsoring a seminar to answer your questions about resumes, interviews, networking, using AI in the job search, and more.  The “Job Tune-Up” seminar will be Wednesday September 9^th starting at 4:30 pm in the Fu Room (room 234) of POTR.

We will have our company event where the attending companies are looking for EEEs for the third time this year.  SEE Company Night will be Monday Sept 14^th from 6-8:30pm in the Howard Taylor Conference Room of the CoRec.   Visit all company attendees for a chance to win grand prizes from our event sponsors. Stay tuned for more information! 

Speaking of your resume, this is a great time to update it with your summer experiences, current GPA, and current coursework.  It is good to get in the habit of updating your resume at the beginning of every semester before you get inundated with schoolwork.

In addition, websites I suggest specifically for government positions include ORISE (internships and fulltime positions are on separate pages) and USAJobs. A good search engine for state government jobs can be found here. Linked In and well-known job search engines like Indeed are also beneficial employment opportunity sources and have been helpful in the past.  Additional search engines suggested by the CCO for opportunities on and off campus are found here.

SEE Main Office in POTR 364: Hours of Operation

The SEE Main Office is located in POTR 364. Office hours are currently: M-F 8am-4pm. Unscheduled “drop-ins” are discouraged. Instead, make an appointment with your EEE advisor, either Tammi Thayer or Maeve Brewer, via BoilerConnect. For other staff or faculty, reach out direct via email to arrange an appointment.

SEE Social Media Accounts

Stay up to date with SEE events and info by following on social media.  See here to easily connect with platforms you prefer.  

POTR Building: Hours of Operation

POTR building hours of operation are 6am – 11pm, 7 days a week.

If doors are locked during these posted times, contact the Purdue Police non-emergency number at 49-48221.

SEE Computer Lab in POTR 360

The SEE Computer Lab is available for all EEE students and is located in POTR 360; next door to the SEE Main Office. See attached agreement for student conduct and use protocols.  

**Key Pad Entry Code** – 

Beginning Aug. 24 - 776286; translates to PROCTO (Prof. Caitlin Proctor)

SEE maintains this computer center for academic & social activities. Its use is a privilege reserved for SEE students and those enrolled in EEE courses to work, study, and access dedicated SEE computers. There are 6 desktop computers with internet access and a printer/scanner. The room contains additional tables, chairs, and whiteboards.

Hand sanitizer has been placed by each computer station.

Be respectful to others and the property.  Always log off of computers before leaving the room.  Do not lock a computer for later use.  Do not move or alter any of the computer systems.

If you wish to place items on the wall, ask in the SEE Office for appropriate tacky putty.  (No tape or staples.)

Use discretion when determining if to print and how many copies to print.

Please report any room or equipment issues to SEE@purdue.edu.

Guide to Purdue IT Resources

Purdue IT is the central information technology organization serving students, faculty and staff at Purdue.  See a list of services they provide and popular help topics.     

SEE Ambassador Application - Due 9/8/26

SEEE - Callout for Society of Environmental and Ecological Engineers

The SEEE callout will be September 9 at 6-7PM in WALC B058. Flyer attached.   

How to Schedule an Appointment with Your Advisor

Engineering students can access the Environmental and Ecological Engineering appointment calendar via BoilerConnect. There are In Person and Virtual appointments, depending on the time and day.

There are training resources available to students in BoilerConnect on the login page. Click ‘Information For Students - Learn More.’  Then look for 'Student Self-Help Guides.' Advisors and service offices across campus use BoilerConnect for making appointments, so these instructions are generalized. 

Student Self-Help Guides:

• How to Access BoilerConnect Student (App and Desktop)
• How to Schedule an Appointment in BoilerConnect Student (App)
• How to Respond to an Appointment Request (App)
• How to Cancel and Reschedule an Appointment
• Appointments in BoilerConnect Student (Desktop)

Fall Waitlists

Waitlists:  Fall waitlists will close/be deleted on Friday, August 21 at 5PM ET.  If you did not gain entry to a course via waitlists you will need to watch for space through the 1^st week of semester and request to add, or find an alternative course.

Having trouble registering, adding, or dropping? Need an override for a class? There are many resources on the SEE Registration Tools page, such as instruction links for Scheduling Assistant:

• Scheduling Assistant - How to ADD

• Scheduling Assistant - How to DROP

• Scheduling Assistant - How to Submit Registration Error Override Request

The Registrar YouTube channel has tutorials for most registration issues at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1h7rRx6sdCxWgiNEPmlXbg

Faculty Mentor Change Request Form – Due 9/8/26

Upper-class students who wish to change their Faculty Mentor should download and complete the Faculty Mentor Change Request Form.  Deadline is Tuesday, September 8 by 9AM. No action is needed from students who are new to the EEE degree program this semester. Assignments for new students will be made by the SEE UG office and announced to you later this fall.

Fall Course:  EEE 59500PLO Pollution from Livestock Operations

This course provides an in-depth understanding of environmental pollution and water quality challenges associated with animal agriculture and water systems. See attached syllabus to learn more. Junior standing or above required. 

Fall Course: VIP Teams Still Available

Several Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) teams still have capacity and are actively welcoming new members.  VIP courses provide students with the opportunity to participate in long-term, multidisciplinary project teams where they gain hands-on experience, develop professional skills, and contribute to meaningful research, design, and innovation initiatives while earning academic credit.

If you are looking to add an engaging experiential learning course to your schedule students can explore team descriptions here: VIP Teams. You can filter on categories, such as Environmental Engineering, Sustainability, Alternative Energy, and Renewable Energies.  For students trying to add VIP to their schedules, see step-by-step instructions and screenshots on the VIP Registration page.

SEE has policies regarding approval and use of experiential learning courses, like EPICS, VIP, etc. 

• EPICS, GEP/GDT, and VIP Course Credit Limit Policy
• EPICS, VIP or Engineering Project Request Form

Fall Course: CCE 59700SW Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Want to determine the best ways to measure contaminants in water, air, or soil?  If so, sign-up for this course taught by Prof. Amisha Shah this fall.  See Flyer. This class is not taught every year, so grab it while you can.  Junior standing or above required. 

Fall Course:  CCE 44300 Intro Environmental Fluid Mechanics

Attached is a flyer for Prof. Troy's Introductory Environmental Fluid Mechanics class, which has not been taught in a while - back by popular demand.

Fall Course: IE 59000CSYS Complex Systems: Theory and Applications

Interested in Systems?  Consider taking IE 59000: Complex Systems: Theory and Applications this fall (CRN: 14481).  Description: Complex systems face challenges both in mathematical modeling and philosophical foundations. From a general perspective, the study of complex systems represents a set of approaches to science that assess how relationships between parts give rise to the collective behaviors of a system, and also how the system interacts and develops relationships with its environment. In this course, you will bring your own data (for instance, data related to your research interests) and you will learn how to analyze/interpret the data from a complex systems point of view.

Offered Tuesday/Thursday 10:30-11:45am.

Fall Course: NUCL 49700AI

See the attached syllabus for a new course offering from Nuclear Engineering.

NUCL 49700AI – Artificial Ntral Intelligence

TR 10:30-11:45 SC G046

CRN 29019-002

Undergraduate Job Announcement: Environmental Engineering Lab Manager Assistant

Dr. Nadya Zyaykina, Manager of the Environmental Engineering Laboratories, is seeking to hire one undergraduate student to serve as a Lab Manager Assistant (LMA) during the 2026-2027 academic year, beginning immediately. See full description attachment. The position requires approximately 10 hours per week, offers a fully flexible schedule between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and pays $15 per hour. Responsibilities include (a) maintaining inventories of chemicals and equipment, (b) assisting with safety documentation and routine laboratory safety operations, (c), sorting, cleaning, and organizing laboratory materials and supplies, (d) helping maintain laboratory refrigerators and freezers, and other lab management related tasks. The selected student will receive in-depth chemical laboratory safety training and certification, with all required personal protective equipment provided, and will gain firsthand familiarity with the infrastructure of an Environmental Engineering research facility. Applicants should be prepared to (a) safely handle closed containers of hazardous chemicals, including acutely toxic, flammable, and corrosive materials, while following required procedures, (b) demonstrate excellent focus and attention to detail, (c) handle fragile items carefully, and (d) have access to a laptop for inventory work. The ability to occasionally lift or move items weighing 10-20 kg (22-44 lbs) is helpful but not required. Preference will be given to candidates who can work throughout the full academic year, from August 2026 through May 2027, although students available only during the Fall semester are encouraged to inquire. To apply, email a brief motivation letter to Dr. Zyaykina at nzyaykina@purdue.edu. 

Fall 2026 Research Credit Opportunity: Green Chemistry applied to E-Waste Recovery

Dr. Nadya Zyaykina, Research Assistant Professor in SEE, is seeking two undergraduate students to join her research project “Green Chemistry-Enabled Selective Resource Recovery from Electronic Waste” during the Fall 2026 semester and earn 3 research credits each through the independent study course EEE 49800. Full description attached. The students will work on different aspects of the project. The expected time investment is approximately 10 hours per week, each. The research focuses on developing safer and more resource-efficient chemical methods for recovering valuable base, heavy, rare earth, and other metals from small electronic waste items. Students will investigate ligand-assisted oxidative leaching using green chemical ligands such as citrate, malate, or oxalate. They will optimize recovery selectivity while limiting co-dissolution, ligand degradation, water use, and energy demand. Research activities will include preparing representative e-waste feedstock, conducting controlled batch experiments with appropriate controls and replicates, characterizing samples through acid digestion and ICP-OES analysis, and evaluating filtrates and residues to determine extraction, selectivity, product purity, and complete metal mass balance. Participants will gain hands-on experience in safe e-waste preparation, green chemistry, oxidative leaching, solid-liquid separation, instrumental analysis, experimental design, quality control, and data interpretation. Students interested in green chemistry, circularity, sustainability, and laboratory research are encouraged to contact Dr. Zyaykina at nzyaykina@purdue.edu for additional information and provide a professional resume and a motivation letter.

Fall 2026 Research Credit Opportunity: Various Projects Available in Urban Matters Lab

Dr. Ashima Krishna, Associate Professor of Engineering Practice in SEE, is seeking students interested in earning 1-2 research credits (work load of 4-6 hours per week) during Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, earned via enrollment in EEE 49800 and/or EEE 59800 on topics related to urban heritage, cultural heritage, architecture, urban planning, and/or historic preservation. Students will be working as part of Urban Matters Lab, directed by Dr. Krishna. Visit the lab website https://urbanmatterslab.com/ under "Projects" to see current community-engaged and service learning projects being undertaken by Purdue students with local community partners. Additionally, in Fall 2026 we also have a new project in collaboration with the US Department of State's Africa Office titled "Cataloging Connections: Documenting Algerian Cultural Property in U.S. Holdings". No prior experience necessary for any of these projects. If you are interested in expanding your research skills and building an interdisciplinary approach to creating a more sustainable world around us, please email Dr. Krishna (krish191@purdue.edu) with an expression of interest.

Fall 2026 Research Credit Opportunity: Chemical Fingerprinting of Used Vegetable Oils for Sustainable Fuel Feedstocks

What if used cooking oil could help power a more sustainable future? Moving from conventional fossil fuels toward sustainable alternatives requires renewable resources as well as reliable ways to evaluate whether waste-derived materials are suitable for further processing. Dr. Nadya Zyaykina, Research Assistant Professor in SEE, is seeking one undergraduate student to join her research group during the Fall 2026 semester and earn 3 research credits through EEE 49800 Independent Study. See full description. Working with Prof. Zyaykina and a graduate mentor for approximately 10 hours per week, the student will undertake a focused analytical project exploring the chemistry of used and poor-quality vegetable oils as potential alternative-fuel feedstocks. Using a strategically selected set of oil samples, the student will investigate two engaging research questions: (1) What chemical clues distinguish fresh vegetable oil from oil that has undergone substantial deterioration? (2) Which combination of analytical measurements offers the most cost-effective approach to preliminary feedstock-quality screening? The undergraduate researcher will assist in analysis to examine polar degradation compounds and will apply spectrophotometric methods to assess secondary oxidation products. Experimental work will emphasize careful calibration, blanks and controls, replicate measurements, method repeatability, and clear comparison of chemical profiles. Besides the lab work, the student will gain theoretical insight into the broader transition from conventional fossil fuels to sustainable fuel systems and participate in research-group discussions about the opportunities and limitations of converting waste oils into renewable-fuel feedstocks. Students interested in analytical chemistry, waste upcycling, sustainable fuels, and laboratory research are encouraged to apply by sending a professional resume and a brief motivation letter to Dr. Zyaykina at nzyaykina@purdue.edu.

How to Get Undergraduate Research Experience in SEE

Interested in pursuing research with SEE faculty? Students are welcome to reach out to individual faculty that they feel best matches with their interests. Learn more and find instructions on how to approach your search at https://engineering.purdue.edu/EEE/Academics/CurrentStudents/UndergraduateResearchEEE.

Lilly Purdue Innovation Institute - Callout

This opportunity offers students a chance to learn, network, gain experience, explore careers, etc. See the attached flyer for details.

Program/Event Details

Date: August 28^th OR 31^st.

Time: 5:30 pm

Location: MRGN Cafe 

Registration/Information: Register by 8/27 LPII Callout Registration

Wabash Sampling Blitz by WREC

See this flyer advertising the fall Wabash Sampling Blitz; the volunteer citizen science event to sample streams feeding the Wabash River.  The event crosses two days, and volunteers can sample at the time that is most convenient to them during those two days.  The dates are Sept 18 and 19.

See website with more info and to registration: http://www.wabashriver.net/wabash-sampling-blitz/

Switch Global Competition - How would you Power a Nation?

Team registration opens Monday, August 17th for the 2026 Switch Global Competition! The Switch Global Competition is the flagship higher education program of Switch Energy Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to energy education. University teams around the world build a real energy access plan for a real country, applying technical, economic, and policy thinking to one of the defining challenges of our time: energy poverty. Last year, 295 teams from 27 countries competed.

What students get out of it:
- A substantial, portfolio-ready analytical project with real-world stakes
- An integrated learning series of six expert-led webinars, live and on demand
- Mentorship from energy industry professionals
- A shot at a share of the $50,000 prize pool, with live finals on December 5
- Zero cost: the competition is completely free, and open to undergraduate and graduate students of every discipline

Ways you can learn more:

Attached Flyer & Guide

https://4080fl.share-na2.hsforms.com/24CKOuRobRUCbKku0a6KvOw

Live info sessions - 4 identical one-hour sessions on Zoom covering the format, key dates, and how to compete:

- Friday, Aug 21: 13:00 UTC / 8:00 AM CT
- Monday, Aug 31: 14:30 UTC / 9:30 AM CT
- Wednesday, Sep 2: 15:00 UTC / 10:00 AM CT
- Wednesday, Sep 9: 14:15 UTC / 9:15 AM CT
Students register here, and the page converts times to their time zone:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/t4YVkUlaQf-Tj36H1b2scw#/registration

Study Abroad Fair

September 2 from 10am-2pm in PMU South Ballroom.  Visit to learn about Purdue Study Abroad program options.  

Engineering CARES Hub

The Community, Assistance and Resources for Engineering Students (CARES) Hub is open. The mission of the CARES Hub is to build Boilermaker engineers by developing awareness, well-being and community for students through outreach, direct access to mental health resources and community-building programs designed to equip students with the skills and mindset needed to be thriving students and thriving future engineers. Find more info on the CARES webpage.  

Engineering Academic Support - Resource Webpage

Did you know the College of Engineering has a webpage dedicated to listing academic resources for classes, such as Supplemental Instruction, resource rooms, and how to find a free tutor for some key engineering classes.  Free tutoring is available for some CCE and ME courses. Tutoring sessions are scheduled through BoilerConnect, choose Polytech Engineering Tutoring appointment type to schedule. Visit https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/InfoFor/CurrentStudents/index_html to see what else is available to you to help.

Professional Licensure & FE Exam: What is it? When to take it? How to prepare?

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is typically the first step in the process leading to the P.E. license. It is designed for students close to finishing their engineering degree or recent graduates. The FE is a computer-based exam that is administered year-round at NCEES (National Council of Examiners for engineering and Surveying) approved Pearson VUE test centers. FYI – Purdue has an approved test site.  The FE contains 110 multiple-choice questions. The exam appointment time is 6 hours long, which includes a nondisclosure agreement, tutorial (8 minutes), the exam (5 hours and 20 minutes), a scheduled break (25 minutes), and a brief survey.

What is professional licensure all about and why is it important?  Learn more at https://www.nspe.org/sites/default/files/resources/pdfs/GR/2017handouts/2017%20-%20What%20is%20a%20PE%20document.pdf

The SEE website has an information and resource page - click here. This page highlights NCEES, the Environmental Exam, links to various sites to register for the FE, what study sessions are offered on campus (not all apply to EEE, though), how to purchase study guides, and other resources to consider.

SEE FE Exam Reimbursement Program for EEE Seniors

The SEE FE Exam Reimbursement Program is meant to encourage and support EEE students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam during their time at Purdue. It offers 100% reimbursement with a passing score and 50% reimbursement for a failing score on the FE. Once the student takes the FE, they are to provide proof of their test date and score along with an itemized receipt to Dr. Robinson. The deadline for a reimbursement request is the last day of the month in which the student graduates. Only one reimbursement per student will be allowed.

Safety: All Hazards Training

View Key Emergency Preparedness Resources at Emergency Preparedness website. All-Hazards Awareness Training is offered to the Purdue community through in-person sessions and online. This training provides reminders on what constitutes an all-hazards emergency event and how faculty, staff and students in the classroom or elsewhere on campus should react in such a situation. Emergency preparedness officials explain how the campus community receives emergency notifications through the multi-layered Purdue Alert system, what "shelter in place" means and how to respond when they see the phrase in alerts sent out; evacuation procedures; what they can do to prepare; and available tools and resources.

Did you miss a previous newsletter? Click here.