January 17, 2017
ECE Alum Astronaut Gene Cernan passes away
ECE Alum Astronaut Gene Cernan
He earned a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue in 1956 and an honorary doctorate in Engineering in 1970. He was one of 14 astronauts chosen by NASA in October 1963.
The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our most prominent alumni, former astronaut Gene Cernan (BSEE `56). Known most well as the last man to have walked on the moon, ECE is proud to have been a small part of his path to space.
"My engineering education challenged me to reach for the stars and one day I found myself standing on the moon." - Gene Cernan
Below are links to several articles and speeches about his impact on Purdue:
Purdue announcement of his passing
Gene Cernan talks to ECE students (2014 video)
Gene Cernan donates mapbook from Apollo 17 lunar mission to Purdue (2014)