The Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) program at Purdue launches a modern approach to environmental engineering. Rather than only considering conventional waste emission treatment, we want our students to approach problems from an integrated perspective that considers both environmental and ecological aspects. We chose the unusual name Environmental and Ecological Engineering because it is important to highlight unique aspects of the program and unique approaches of EEE relative to similar programs at peer institutions. We seek a broad systems perspective for addressing environmental issues, with a focus on ecological interactions and resilient designs that take into account complexity and connectivity between systems. In the undergraduate curriculum, this philosophy drives the early focus on systems thinking and understanding.