Inspiring teacher. Outstanding leader. Broad and deep in community involvement. Accomplished researcher and scholar. Those phrases are just a few of the many accolades that describe Matthew Pharris, a graduate student from Phoenix, Arizona, who served as the student responder for Purdue’s commencement Saturday (Aug. 3).

Moore’s law – which says the number of components that could be etched onto the surface of a silicon wafer would double every two years – has been the subject of recent debate. The quicker pace of computing advancements in the past decade have led some experts to say Moore’s law, the brainchild of Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in the 1960s, no longer applies. Particularly of concern, next-generation computing devices require features smaller than 10 nanometers – driving unsustainable increases in fabrication costs.

Opioid users tend to be alone and incapacitated during an overdose. Purdue University researchers are developing a device that would automatically detect an overdose and deliver naloxone, a drug known to reverse deadly effects.

One of the world’s leading cholera research hospitals has teamed with a Purdue University-affiliated startup with a goal to stop the spread of cholera, one of the most preventable and treatable diseases on Earth.

Alumnus Matt Pharris has been selected as the commencement speaker for Purdue University’s August 2019 graduation ceremony for all majors. Commencement speakers are chosen in part for their ability to make their story personal, but connect universally with all graduates. In his speech, Pharris will reflect upon his nine years at Purdue, time spent obtaining multiple degrees, racking up high honors, and learning some valuable life lessons along the way.

A collaboration between the Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and Indiana University School of Medicine sets the standard for the exchange of ideas between engineering and medicine. After 25 years, it is undergoing an even more spirited infusion of fresh new ideas — and programs.

A unique PhD program capitalizes on synergies and builds on a long-standing collaboration between the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine.

Bradley Duerstock, associate professor of engineering practice in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Industrial Engineering, and Juan Wachs, Purdue’s James A. and Sharon M. Tompkins Rising Star Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, received $50,000 for the innovation of a portable device that helps people with visual impairments “see” digital images.

Hearing loss is so common in today's society, especially in older individuals, that many people question the use of doing anything to protect their hearing from noise and loud sounds. But it turns out the source of hearing loss may have a large impact on a person’s ability to understand speech and enjoy music.

Luis Solorio, an assistant professor at the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University, received the 2019 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Engineering Graduate Students Award. The award was presented by the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Association at a celebration held at the school on July 1.