Prospective Graduate Students - Environmental and Ecological Engineering - Purdue University

While many environmental engineering programs focus on addressing problems when they appear, such as cleaning up or reducing the impact of waste, Purdue EEE combines this with preventing problems before they arise through strategies such as circular materials economy and sustainable manufacturing. I am currently focused on the recovery of rare-earth permanent magnets (REPM), which are used in the motors that power electric vehicles (EVs). ~ Thomas Maani (EEE PhD Student)

I always knew that I wanted to do a job that related to the environment. EEE was the perfect place for me to reinforce that interest and make that goal possible. EEE just felt like home to me. It was the first place where I was given such eye-opening experiences and one-of-a-kind courses. The program allowed me to explore so many different aspects of environmental engineering, and I know that I am prepared for the journey that I am about to start." ~ Nafissa Mäiga (BSEEE 2021 / MSEEE 2023), Water Resource Engineer, Jacobs (Philadelphia, PA)

EEE is unique because it includes Environmental and Ecological Engineering. Ecology brings in human factors. I want to see the real-world implications of my research, not work in a theoretical vacuum. EEE provides flexible degrees that I can tailor to my interests. I also love its interdisciplinary nature. Environmental challenges are complex. Adding the perspective of another discipline, such as ME, makes it far more likely I’ll find a workable solution. ~ John Paul Pieper (MSEEE 2023 / BSEEE 2022)
(Photo: Pieper receives his degree from Purdue University President Mung Chiang.)

As the first PhD graduate from EEE, I was impressed by the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary research areas. I was surprised to see how collaborative the EEE community is; nobody hides their project from the lab next door. The exceptional facilities and world-renowned faculty members provided me with a firm academic foundation that will support my future endeavors.” ~ Dr. Ehsan Vahidi (PhD in EEE 2018), Assistant Professor and John N. Butler Endowed Professor; in Extractive Metallurgy, University of Nevada (Reno, NV)