Prospective Undergraduate Students
Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE)
Graduates from Purdue Environmental and Ecological Engineering are equipped to enter a wide range of employment sectors in environmental and engineering fields, such as consulting and engineering services, manufacturing, industrial and construction, government, municipal and public service, nonÂgovernmental organizations (NGOs), and academia. Students are trained to approach problems from an integrated perspective, considering both environmental issues and ecological interactions. This high-impact method addresses challenges in the built environment, while also striving to understand interactions between the human and natural worlds. Our curriculum is distinctive in that it focuses on both Classic Environmental Engineering, which develops processes to treat, control, and manage contaminated media, and Industrial Sustainability, which deals with designing and managing engineering systems to avoid waste and preserve natural resources.
Featured BSEEE Alumni
The most rewarding part about working in manufacturing is the large scale on which you can affect change. Spring Hill is GM's largest North American plant, so emissions reductions or-zero-waste:improvements are on a much larger scale when done here. No two days are ever the same and I always feel as if I am being challenged." ~ Kendall Cuddy (BSEE 2021), Environmental Engineer, General Motors (Spring Hill, TN)
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)
I chose EEE because I want to do impactful work that transcends me as an individual. I can’t be passionate about a major/career if I don’t believe I am making a difference. I was also drawn to the professor-to-student ratio of the program. I appreciate that each of my professors are willing to get to know me and make time for me. This sense of community has been significant in my growth as a student and a future engineer." ~ Ashley Sanchez Gonzalez (BSEEE 2022 / MSEEE 2023), EDGE Professional, Black & Veatch (Goshen, IN)
EEE helped evolve and adapt my worldview, expand my capacity to understand complex issues, and prepared me to be the systems-thinking expert I am today. The climate, environment, and ecological curriculum are wholly unique. Ten years later, I still reference coursework, books, and projects from my BSEEE degree.” ~ Dr. David Zelinka (BSEEE 2013); Climate Data Specialist, Opera; Founder/Consultant, Civitas Systems (Boulder, CO)
EEE allowed me to explore a variety of sustainability topics and tailor my education to the career that I wanted through interactive design projects, global engineering teams, and my co-op experience. My daily mission is to work creatively and collaboratively to develop materials and products that are guided by both global consumer needs and sustainability." ~ Jenna Klinedinst (BSEEE 2018 / MSEEE 2019), Lead Scientist - Sustainability Research, Kimberly-Clark (Neenah, WI)
EEE Curriculum
EEE provides the only Purdue College of Engineering major that leads to an ABET accredited BS degree in environmental engineering (BSEEE). Students learn to approach problems holistically, considering the entire life cycle of a product/process, as well as the broader environmental and ecological contexts. This scope includes assessing the social, political, cultural, and economic restrictions that influence the real-world feasibility of implementing environmental solutions.
Undergraduate coursework in EEE focuses on environmental issues, ecological interactions, the complexity and connectivity between systems, and "designing for the environment." Required core topics include systems modeling, urban ecology, industrial sustainability, environmental modeling and remediation, and life-cycle analysis. EEE also requires coursework in advanced math/statistics and other engineering fundamentals. Technical elective topics can include soil and water resource engineering, global and environmental issues, water and wastewater treatment, hydrology, disaster and emergency relief, habitat restoration, air pollution control and design, and climate action initiatives.
Every student receives guidance in identifying the right topics for them, based on their long-term goals, as they engage with an assigned Faculty Mentor and Academic Advisor.
Graduate School Destinations*
| Arizona State | Berkeley |
| Cornell | Duke |
| Michigan | Purdue |
| Texas-Austin | UCLA |
Sample Employers**
| Greeley and Hansen | (Consulting) |
| Price Waterhouse Cooper | (Consulting) |
| Strand and Associates | (Consulting) |
| Wessler Engineering | (Consulting) |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | (Government) |
| Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) | (Government) |
| 3M | (Manufacturing) |
| General Electric | (Manufacturing) |
| General Motors | (Manufacturing) |
| Parker Hannifin | (Manufacturing) |
| AmeriCorps | (Service) |
| Peace Corps | (Service) |
Internship and Co-Op Companies***
| Bendix | General Motors |
| HNTB | Jacobs |
| Kimberly Clark | LyondellBasell |
*Sample institutions chosen by BSEEE degree holders to pursue graduate studies (EEE Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey).
**Employers listed in alphabetical order by field (EEE Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey).
***Internship/Co-Op Companies listed in alphabetical order (EEE Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey).
Information
EEE Academic Resources
EEE Undergraduate Office
Potter Engineering Center, Room 364
500 Central Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2022
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Contact EEE
Phone: (765) 496-9697
Email: eeeug@purdue.edu
Web: www.purdue.edu/eee
EEE Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn
For additional information, please contact the Office of Future Engineers.