That vision just earned national recognition.

Park has been named a 2025 recipient of the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from ORAU. A competitive honor awarded to 36 early-career faculty across the country. With 164 applicants from 91 institutions, Park's selection reflects both the originality and the potential impact of her research.

Her winning project proposes the development of a microengineered model to study gut-eye interactions. Using organ-on-chip systems and intestinal organoids, her lab will simulate inflammation and microbiome imbalances to better understand their role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Which is a leading cause of vision loss in the United States.

Reviewers described Park’s work as interdisciplinary and highly fundable. They praised her research clarity, her technical expertise in organ-on-chip systems and her strong publication record. One noted the project’s potential to generate individualized platforms for testing interventions that target gut-driven eye conditions.

Backed by $10,000 in total funding—half from ORAU and half matched by Purdue—Park’s project will span the next academic year. It reflects the Weldon School’s mission to push the boundaries of medicine by blending engineering innovation with biological insight.

Park joined the faculty in 2024 and has quickly made a name for herself both in the lab and across campus. With the support of this award, she’ll continue forging new paths at the intersection of systemic health and patient-specific care.

Congratulations to Professor Park on this well-earned achievement.