Davidson School of Chemical Engineering graduate student and CISTAR Fellow Nicole LiBretto was presented with the 2019 CISTAR Mentor Award for her excellence as role model to Research Experience Undergraduate (REU) students, Research Experience for Teachers (RET) and Young Scholar high school students. LiBretto received the award from Dr. Michael Harris, CISTAR Workforce Development Director, at the 2019 CISTAR Annual Meeting held on May 20-25 at Purdue University.

Brightlamp Inc., co-founded by Davidson School of Chemical Engineering alumnus Kurtis Sluss (BSChE '16), is one of three startups based on Purdue University technologies slated to receive investments totaling up to $750,000 in matching funds from Purdue Research Foundation's Foundry Investment Fund to help advance them to commercial viability. Brightlamp was co-founded by Sluss and Micheal Heims, and has launched a patented innovative technology to measure pupillary light response using a mobile device. The application, called Reflex, allows health care professionals to quickly record data that can be used to objectively determine if a person has sustained any neurological disturbance, including concussion.

Dr. Julie Liu, Associate Professor in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, has been selected as a 2019-2020 Fellow in Drexel University's Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES at Drexel®) program. ELATES is a unique professional leadership program, designed to advance senior women faculty in academic engineering, computer science, and other STEM fields, preparing them to assume institutional leadership roles within their schools and universities.

Dr. Rakesh Agrawal, the Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, was invited to present the 2019 Academy of Chemical Engineers Lectureship at Missouri University of Science and Technology on April 24-25, 2019. In its twenty-second year, the Academy of Chemical Engineers Lectureship is given annually to recognize and honor an outstanding educator within the field of chemical engineering.

Purdue University will honor some of its highest academic-achieving graduating seniors May 10-12 during commencement ceremonies. Honorees include Chemical Engineering undergraduate student Christopher R. Schorr, of Liberty Township, Ohio. Schorr, who is also in the Honors College, received the Charles O. McGaughey Leadership Award for leadership potential on the basis of his contributions to Purdue and the community.