From pioneering medical technologies and space exploration to establishing the nation's first Women in Engineering Program and the National Society of Black Engineers, our storied past is the foundation of future innovations and breakthroughs. View the full timeline celebrating 150 years of Purdue Engineering at https://collections.lib.purdue.edu/timelines/engineering

Gerald A. "Jerry" Leonards (MSCE '48, PhD CE '52) was so beloved and respected that long after he died in 1997 at age 75, his 100th birthday was celebrated on this day at an event hosted by the Purdue Geotechnical Society. As a faculty member in Purdue's College of Engineering from 1952 to 1991, he gained recognition as a towering figure in geotechnical engineering. Throughout his career, Leonards' insight and expertise were sought for earthwork and foundation projects worldwide. He was the only "non-European" invited by the Italian government to sit on an official commission tasked with investigating methods to stabilize the "leaning" Tower of Pisa. His seminal book, Foundation Engineering, became a globally recognized reference in the field.

In 1980, Leonards was invited by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to deliver its prestigious Terzaghi Lecture. His contributions were further recognized with his induction into the National Academy of Engineering in 1988, and receipt of ASCE's Karl Terzaghi Award in 1989 and Norman Medal in 1965.