I am delighted to report that in June the Board of Trustees of Purdue University took the bold step to create SEE. This foresighted action by the trustees represents a strong, clear commitment to sustainability and the environment. SEE is the first new school established in the College of Engineering in more than 20 years and is the first academic program of its kind to seamlessly blend the fields of sustainability engineering and environmental engineering. SEE is an ambitious and necessary response to an urgent industry demand for technically skilled professionals who can drive innovation while being environmentally responsible.

Today’s industries face rapidly evolving challenges. They must simultaneously improve competitiveness (e.g., increase operational efficiency and reduce costs) and minimize environmental impact. SEE is designed to meet these demands head-on. Our efforts in this space include life cycle engineering of consumer goods, reducing waste in the electronics industry, lowering the environmental impact of data centers, advancing sustainable practices in manufacturing, and pioneering greener approaches to semiconductor production. SEE equips students with the engineering tools and systems thinking required to design practical, high-impact solutions.

SEE is rooted in decades of leadership, excellence, impact, and interdisciplinary collaboration in environmental and sustainability engineering through Purdue’s nationally recognized Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) program, which in turn built upon the pioneering accomplishments of such Purdue faculty as Jim Etzel, Ron Wukasch, and Don Bloodgood. EEE’s BS, MS, and PhD degree programs, which are consistently ranked among the nation’s best, will be housed in the new school. Our students, faculty and industry partners will now move forward with an even broader vision — one that integrates sustainability principles like resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circularity (e.g., recycling and remanufacturing) into the very fabric of engineering education and practice.

As the Head of SEE, I am both honored and excited to lead this transformative initiative. The School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering represents more than just a new academic unit — it embodies a commitment to shaping a new generation of engineers who will help industries innovate responsibly, communities thrive sustainably, and our planet endure for future generations.

Within SEE, the work we begin today will define the engineering solutions of tomorrow. The impact of SEE will be felt not only in the labs and classrooms of Purdue, but across industries and ecosystems around the world for decades to come.

Hail Purdue!

John W. Sutherland
Distinguished Professor and Fehsenfeld Family Head of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering