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2026 OIGP Spring Reception - Details and Action Items Below
by Amy L Ledman 03 Feb '26

03 Feb '26

Afternoon, The Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/oigp/> (OIGP) will be hosting our 17th OIGP Spring Reception<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/oigp/oigp-spring-reception/> on April 22, 2026. Please mark your calendars and plan on joining us for the celebration of interdisciplinary research and graduate students. This year's event will include a Poster Session, MOIPA Winner Keynote, and Academic and Industry Panel. Wednesday, April 22, 2026 | 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM | PMU Ballrooms Here are action items with which we need your assistance: 1. Please share and encourage your students to submit poster presentations and apply for the Most Outstanding Interdisciplinary Project Award (MOIPA): * Poster and Award Submission Deadline is Sunday, Feb 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM. * MOIPA winner receives $1,000. i. Poster Presentation Application and Details<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/oigp/oigp-spring-reception/> ii. Most Outstanding Interdisciplinary Project Award Application and Details<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/oigp/oigp-spring-reception/> 1. Poster judges and MOIPA reviewers are needed: * Posters 9:30-11:30 AM day of April 22 i. Judges can be faculty, postdocs, alumni, industry partners: Want to Judge Posters!<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue.ca…> * MOIPA applications reviewed in March, review and score about 10-12 applications i. MOIPA reviewer names can be sent to OIGP(a)purdue.edu<mailto:OIGP@purdue.edu> We are excited to share and highlight the amazing interdisciplinary research that is taking place on campus. Your help is much appreciated. Please share, sign up, or submit names of poster judges and MOIPA reviewers by March 1st. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out! Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> [cid:image002.png@01DC94F9.DD28FA10]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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New ESE Website
by Amy L Ledman 17 Nov '25

17 Nov '25

Afternoon, I wanted to take a minute to let everyone know that ESE, OIGP, and OGSPS all have a new website. ESE's URL has also ended up changing due to the update: https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/oigp/program/ese/. With that I will say the layout is very different, so if you're looking for something and are unable to find it feel free to reach out. You may stumble upon some broken links or errors. I'm working on fixing the ones I'm able to do, but the rest are being worked on by the OGSPS web person. Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> [cid:image001.png@01DC57D1.1E37B160]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…> Purdue University will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday November 27th through November 30th and closed for Winter Recess December 24th through January 4th. Please keep in mind that there will be little to no response during this time.

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Kanaan Hardaway – Dissertation Defense 11/17/25 at 9:30am PFEN 120
by Amy L Ledman 05 Nov '25

05 Nov '25

Kanaan Hardaway – Dissertation Defense Announcement Biophysical drivers of urban temperature and human health impacts: US Regional and National Patterns Major Professors: Dr. Brady S. Hardiman and Dr. Roshanak Nateghi Monday November 17, 2025, at 9:30 AM Pfendler Hall 120 Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering Abstract: Urban areas concentrate heat and materials, leading to phenomena such as urban heat island (UHI) and urban pollution island (UPI). These “islands” have ill-effects on health, particularly cardiovascular and respiratory systems. UHI and UPI emerge from built infrastructure and human activity. Tree canopy often is employed as a useful infrastructure for mitigating both UHI and UPI. Tree canopy is internested with a myriad of other infrastructure, including social and other hard infrastructure, which all can shape human health and analyzing them together can enable a more holistic understanding of urban systems. The first chapter of this dissertation assessed the influence of a variety of biophysical drivers on urban temperatures and human health using a structural equation modeling framework. The second chapter focused on the “climate-safe” refuge of the Great Lakes Basin to consider both elevated temperatures and air pollution levels mediate human health effects in conjunction with urban biophysical drivers. Investing in infrastructure, such as tree canopy, requires advanced planning, so the last chapter estimated how adding tree canopy to the cities of the Great Lakes Basin will impact the proportion of census tracts exposed to high temperatures over the next 75 years. The results of this dissertation allow for more nuance in the creation of social infrastructure guiding urban development. Employing a structural equation modeling framework helps incorporate the multiple partial effects urban systems experience. Addressing the effects of the environmental stressors UHI and UPI on human health is possible to some degree through the design of cities. Future work should continue to combine multiple infrastructures when evaluating the parameters of urban systems. Also see attached announcement. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> [cid:image001.png@01DC4E5E.903E0BF0]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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ESE Virtual Fall Preview Day – October 24
by Amy L Ledman 22 Oct '25

22 Oct '25

Please consider sharing the message below with students who may be interested in a graduate degree with ESE. This event is offered virtually and only lasts an hour and a half. Amy You're invited to join us for the Ecological Sciences and Engineering-Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (ESE)<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/> for our free Virtual Fall Preview Day<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/events/fallpreviewday.html> on Friday, October 24th from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EST. [cid:image002.jpg@01DC4342.EB523C90] This event is a great opportunity to: * Learn more about the ESE Graduate Program * Meet current students * Explore graduate education at Purdue University ESE offers an innovative, interdisciplinary education that combines science, engineering, and social sciences to tackle today’s biggest environmental challenges. Our students build critical skills in sustainability, resilience, and systems thinking while collaborating across departments. 👉 RSVP<https://gradapply.purdue.edu/register/ESE2025VirtualFallPreviewDay> If you have any questions, please reach out at ese(a)purdue.edu<mailto:ese@purdue.edu>. We'd love to see you virtually! Sincerely, Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> [cid:image001.png@01DC4341.DA0A0FE0]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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FW: Judges Needed - ESE Fall 2025 Symposium
by Amy L Ledman 22 Sep '25

22 Sep '25

Please share with any postdocs as well! The Ecological Sciences and Engineering Graduate Programs is seeking judges for ESE Fall 2025 Symposium Creative Works Competition<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/creative-works.html>. You'll be given a small gift for judging, as your time and valuable knowledge are much appreciated. Please complete the following Qualtrics if you're interested in judging the Creative Works Competition: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6yxEjWTbJJqrdie<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue.ca…> ESE Fall 2025 Symposium Creative Works Competition Friday, September 26th, 2025 2:00-3:00 PM Hall for Discovery and Learning Research (DLR) 131 Nominal prizes will be awarded to the top three undergraduate presenters and the top three graduate presenters. While the symposium topic is Ripple Effect: Act Locally, Inspire Globally, we are accepting creative works from undergrads and grads that respond to the following prompt: Ripple Effect: How can we connect research and everyday life through creativity? Create a piece that brings people together through knowledge. Thank you! Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> [cid:image001.png@01DC27DD.4840E360]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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Fall Preview Day - Explore Graduate Opportunities with ESE at Purdue
by Amy L Ledman 17 Sep '25

17 Sep '25

Afternoon! Please share the following ESE in person Fall Preview Day with your undergrad students and anyone else you believe is interested. This is a good opportunity for students to hear about what graduate education options are available. Attached is a flyer with a QR code and below is an email for our event. At this event, I go over the ESE program, but then also how we partner and are connected with the degree granting departments. If you have potential prospective students who are too far for an in-person event, I will have a virtual event later in October. Are you considering graduate school in ecological or environmental fields? The Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Interdisciplinary Graduate Program at Purdue University invites you to our Fall Preview Day on Friday, October 3, 2025. [A person in a field AI-generated content may be incorrect.] This free event is a chance to: * Learn about our MS and PhD programs * Meet current students and faculty * Explore campus and research opportunities * Address questions regarding admissions and student life Event Details: 🗓️ Date: Friday, October 3, 2025 🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM EST 📍 Location: Purdue Hall for Discovery and Learning Research (DLR) RSVP Here<https://gradapply.purdue.edu/register/ESE2025FallPreviewDay> We’d love for you to join us and discover how ESE can help you shape a more sustainable future! Contact us at ese(a)purdue.edu<mailto:ese@purdue.edu> with questions you may have. Sincerely, Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 [A black and white logo AI-generated content may be incorrect.]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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ESE Symposium 2025 - Ripple Effect
by Amy L Ledman 15 Sep '25

15 Sep '25

Please share with your students, colleagues, and staff – open to the entire campus community! Join us for the 19th Annual Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Symposium<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/index.html>! This year’s theme, Ripple Effect: Act Locally, Inspire Globally, highlights interdisciplinary and community-engaged work designed by the 2024 ESE Cohort. 📅 September 26–27, 2025 📍 Purdue University The two-day event features a Graphical Abstract Workshop & Lunch and Learn<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/graphical-ab-lunch-lea…>, Creative Works Competition<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/creative-works.html>, Brain Blast Trivia Night<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/eco-trivia.html>, and a GrowLocal volunteering event<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/local-volunteer.html>—with prizes for competition winners! Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> ESE has moving to the 8th floor of Young Hall, room 825! [cid:image001.png@01DC16A7.D551A740]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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ESE Symposium 2025 - Ripple Effect
by Amy L Ledman 26 Aug '25

26 Aug '25

We are excited to announce our 19th annual student-led Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Symposium with the theme of Ripple Effect: Act Locally, Inspire Globally<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/index.html> will be taking place September 26-27, 2025. ESE is an interdisciplinary program that values the contributions of multiple perspectives and prioritizes collaboration that transcends academic, community, and disciplinary boundaries. In support of this mission, the 2024 ESE Cohort has designed the 2025 ESE Symposium to showcase interdisciplinary and community engaged work. Our two-day event will focus on tangible skills building and local action, sparking a ripple of climate optimism within and beyond the Purdue community. Our schedule will feature a Graphical Abstract Workshop with a lunch and learn<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/graphical-ab-lunch-lea…>, a Creative Works Competition<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/creative-works.html>, Brain Blast Trivia Night<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/eco-trivia.html>, and GrowLocal volunteering event<https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/ese/symposium/local-volunteer.html>. Event flyers are attached. These events are open to the entire Purdue community, so please share with your students and colleagues. Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm 825 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> ESE has moving to the 8th floor of Young Hall, room 825! [cid:image001.png@01DC16A7.D551A740]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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April ESE Defense Announcements
by Ledman, Amy L 18 Jun '25

18 Jun '25

The following are six ESE PhD students who are holding their defense in April. We have a high number of students graduating this spring, so additional details are attached in their individual flyers. If you'd like a copy that hasn't been compressed to fit in the listserv, please let me know. It should be a very busy and impressive April! Rasul Diop - PhD Defense The Chemistry of Air-Cooled Blast Furnace Slag (ACBFS) Related to Environmental Exposure Associated with Reuse Major Professor: Dr. Chad Jafvert Tuesday, April 1st at 9:00 AM | Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Ruth Bower-Sword - PhD Defense Passive acoustic monitoring for primate population assessments: A case study on the endangered eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Major Professor: Dr. Bryan Pijanowski Tuesday, April 1st at 10:00 AM | MRGN 206 and Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Samantha Lima - PhD Defense Using soundscapes to study the coupled human and natural system in Arkhangai, Mongolia Major Professor: Dr. Bryan Pijanowski Thursday, April 3rd at 8:00 AM | DLR 221 and Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Mary Strickland - PhD Defense Barriers to & Opportunities for Climate Change Adaptations in Rhode Island Major Professor: Dr. Zhao Ma Friday, April 4th at 9:00 AM | Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Lynda Peter - PhD Defense Occurrence, Fate and Transport of Perand Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Agricultural Systems Major Professor: Dr. Linda Lee Thursday, April 10th at 1:00 PM | Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Agronomy Francisco Rivas - PhD Defense New tools in Bioacoustics and Soundscape Ecology Major Professor: Dr. Bryan Pijanowski Friday, April 11th at 2:00 PM | PFEN 120 and Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Amy Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…>

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Elijah Openiyi PhD Defense 6/16/2025 11am
by Ledman, Amy L 05 Jun '25

05 Jun '25

Below and attached you will find the information regarding Elijah Openiyi's dissertation defense on June 16th! Elijah Openiyi - PhD Defense Mitigation of PFAS in Agricultural Fields Using Sorbent Materials Major Professor: Dr. Linda S Lee Monday, June 16th at 11:00 AM | Lily 2-425 and Zoom<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue-ed…> Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Department of Agronomy Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a special class of man-made chemicals that are ubiquitous, recalcitrant, and toxic. PFAS get into agricultural soil primarily through wet/dry deposition, irrigation with PFAS-contaminated water, and land application of biosolids. While biosolids are a great source of slow-release nutrients that plants love, the tendency for the bioaccumulation and biomagnification along the food chain of PFAS raises a concern for the sustainable land application of biosolids and continued operation of farms with soils that are already contaminated with PFAS. In this study, we employed immobilization strategies via a series of batch sorption experiments, a column study, a greenhouse study, and a field study by using four sorbent materials (pyrolyzed biosolids, ACH-WTR, wood-ash and wood-biochar) for the mitigation of PFAS in PFAS contaminated agricultural soils and land applied biosolids. Overall results showed that that sorption of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), including PFHxS and PFOS, increased with increasing ACH-WTR concentrations in batch sorption experiments. In a six-month long column study, leachates from ACH-WTR-amended columns contained 32% less total PFAS compared to those from biosolids-only control columns, with PFOS mobility specifically reduced by 68%. Likewise, amending PFAS-contaminated soils with 6 wt% wood-ash decreased total PFAS uptake in grass leaves by 83% and significantly enhanced plant growth in the 1-year long, multiple harvest greenhouse study. Correspondingly, soil-to-plant translocation factors (TFs) were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the 3 wt% and 6 wt% wood-ash treatments than in the control for most PFAS. First-year field results indicate that both wood-ash and wood-biochar amendments can reduce PFAS uptake into grass leaves, with wood-ash exhibiting greater effectiveness. However, interpretation of the field-scale efficacy will require data from the second-year harvest, as PFAS uptake by plants is influenced by both initial contaminant concentrations and the duration of root-zone exposure. Amy Ledman She/Her/Hers Lead Graduate Program Specialist Ecological Sciences and Engineering Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Ernest C. Young Hall, Rm B84 155 S. Grant St. West Lafayette, IN 47907 o: 765-494-5865 f: 765-496-6271 Schedule a meeting: calendly.com/aledman<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.…> [cid:image001.png@01DBD645.7E9A23C0]<https://www.purdue.edu/?utm_source=signature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=…>

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