Neil Armstrong was 38 years old when he became the first person to set foot on the moon. Inspired by his legacy, the College of Engineering launched the 38 by 38 annual award to celebrate Purdue Engineering alumni who are early in their careers, have demonstrated an accelerated trajectory of professional success and whose achievements have made a significantly high impact relevant to their work. 2024 is the inaugural year for the award.

Ramaswamy Subramanian and Juan Wachs received named positions through the School of Industrial Engineering. Subramanian and Wachs work and collaborate within the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

Anybody who has gotten food poisoning knows how bad it is. It’s also rampant — according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), each year 1 in 6 Americans becomes sick from contaminated food or beverages, and 3,000 die from some foodborne illness. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that foodborne illnesses cost the nation more than $15 billion annually in medical expenses, lost business productivity, lawsuits, and compromised branding.

“I always knew I wanted to play tennis in college and stay in close proximity to my family in the Midwest, so the Big10 conference was a great fit,” Beier said. “Purdue stood out to me not only for its excellent engineering program but also for its supportive university and athletic culture, making it the ideal choice for my academic and athletic pursuits.”

Marta E. Gross Associate Professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Jacqueline Linnes is pioneering advancements in healthcare diagnostics. Her work focuses on developing innovative and affordable tools for detecting diseases in resource-limited settings.

The 50-year history of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue is one of innovation, collaboration, and lasting impact. Pioneers like Leslie Geddes, supported by key industrial partnerships and visionary leadership, laid the groundwork for what is now a globally recognized program. Today, the Weldon School continues to push the boundaries of biomedical engineering, helping millions worldwide.

In 1974, Leslie Geddes came to Purdue and founded biomedical engineering research as a part of the College of Engineering.

Mihika Desai, Biomedical Engineering student from the Weldon School has recently completed an internship at the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern. Her experience provided a unique opportunity to work on groundbreaking research in the field of cancer treatment.

Krishna Jayant has been named a Leslie A. Geddes Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering for his exceptional research, teaching and engagement accomplishments. The limited-term professorship recognizes promising junior faculty members early in their careers while honoring a distinguished professor and brilliant researcher who left an unparalleled legacy.

Umesh Patel was honored with the College of Engineering Innovation Award. Throughout his career Umesh has distinguished himself as an innovative global leader and in doing so, he has displayed the ingenuity and pursuit of excellence that epitomizes the Purdue engineer.