The inaugural Golden Hammer Awards recently honored a select group of Purdue University students who have gone above and beyond in their academic pursuits and personal development. The award ceremony, held in Indianapolis, celebrated students who embody the five pillars of the Purdue community: integrity, respect, honor, innovation and growth.

Chi Hwan Lee, professor of biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering, has been recognized with the prestigious College of Engineering Faculty Award of Excellence for Research. This award honors faculty who have made recent, exceptional research contributions with a significant impact on their discipline or on society.

Purdue University juniors Deniz Eksioglu and Christina Sowinski, both students in the John Martinson Honors College, have been offered 2025 Goldwater Scholarships. This prestigious honor recognizes their dedication to research, academic excellence and personal determination. Sowinski, in the College of Science, shifted her focus to planetary science after discovering a deeper interest in space research. Eksioglu, in the College of Engineering, found his niche in developing life-changing devices in biomedical engineering. Their achievements reflect a strong sense of perseverance and a passion for using science to make a meaningful impact.

The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering is proud to recognize Adam Wright, a standout graduate student, as a recipient of the 2025 Estus H. and Vashti L. Magoon Research Excellence Award.

Katelynn Gallagher who is a senior in biomedical engineering at Purdue Indianapolis; just published her first-author paper! Her study investigates how ribosylation-induced increases in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) affect the mechanical properties of human cortical bone and found the impacts are more limited than expected.

At the Weldon School, we encourage curiosity, leadership and hands-on learning from the very beginning of a student's academic journey. First-year engineering student Rohin Kumar is embracing that mindset through his podcast Biopotential, where he explores the field of biomedical engineering by connecting with students, faculty and professionals who are creating real-world solutions.

Purdue University's upcoming Academic Success Building (ASB) in Indianapolis is set to significantly enhance student experiences by offering state-of-the-art facilities and fostering a close-knit community. Among the students anticipating its benefits is first-year BME student Aurelia Chelfannisa.

Hearing loss affects millions worldwide, yet standard clinical assessments often fail to pinpoint the specific causes of impairment. At Purdue University, a team of researchers led by Michael Heinz is tackling this challenge by developing innovative methods to improve hearing diagnoses and treatments. Heinz is the associate head of research and professor of speech, language and hearing sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences. He holds a joint appointment in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. His work focuses on accessible precision audiology, integrating engineering and computational techniques to transform hearing healthcare.

Ramaswamy Subramanian, the Gerald and Edna Mann Director of the Bindley Bioscience Center, professor of biological sciences (College of Science) and professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering (College of Engineering), is being honored for seminal contributions to structural biology, enhancing atomic-level understanding of diverse biological processes, and for leading the development of scientific infrastructure in India and the U.S. Subramanian is an expert in structural biology and biophysics with an interest in understanding the relationship between atomic resolution structures and molecular function, with a focus on enzymes and membrane transporters.