Ernest E. Campaigne became a Professor of Chemistry at IU in 1953. During his years at IU, he taught courses in general chemistry, biochemistry, and organic chemistry, and contributed to joint efforts in the teaching of pharmacology. He took responsibility for the organization and reorganization of many courses; he authored several textbooks of chemistry, served on the Committee on the Improvement of Teaching of the Collegel of Arts and Sciences, he acted as a Graduate Advisor of the Chemistry department and as a member of the Chemistry department's Policy Committee.

During Professor Campaigne's varied pedagogic activities, he published more than 275 research papers, reviews, and books. He devoted years of service to the American Chemical Society, beginning with the Southern Indiana Section, as Chairman and later as a national Councilor. He was chairman of the newly created Section on Medical Chemistry, Division of Organic Chemistry, of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.