Milind Kulkarni takes helm as Head of Purdue's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
After a nationally competitive search, Purdue University has announced that Milind Kulkarni will assume the role of the Michael and Katherine Birck Head of the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, effective Monday, February 19. Kulkarni has been a part of the Purdue ECE faculty since 2009 and has been serving as Interim Head since July 3, 2023.
A native of North Carolina, Kulkarni obtained his Bachelor's degrees in Computer Engineering and Computer Science from NC State before pursuing his Master's and Ph.D. in Computer Science at Cornell University. Throughout his academic journey, Kulkarni's research focus has centered on compilers and programming languages, particularly optimizing complex, irregular applications. His contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards, including an NSF CAREER award, a Department of Energy Early Career Research award, and the esteemed Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which led to his visit to the White House in 2016.
Arvind Raman, John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering, says, In addition to his research, Kulkarni is a dedicated teacher who has been recognized with more than a dozen teaching awards at the department, college, and university levels. In 2022, Kulkarni received the university's highest teaching award, the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching award.
“Milind’s dedication to the School even goes beyond research and teaching,” says Raman. “He has also enjoyed serving the School in a leadership capacity, starting as Associate Chair of graduate admissions when he was an assistant professor, through to Associate Head of Teaching and Learning in 2020, and then as interim Head of the School in 2023.”
As the new head of the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kulkarni will oversee a diverse community of more than 120 faculty members and approximately 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. With Purdue's ECE department being the largest in the nation, Kulkarni's leadership will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of engineering education and research. Kulkarni attributes the tremendous growth in undergraduate enrollment, in part, to growth in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, software engineering, and semiconductors. He says these are areas of growth for not only Purdue but the United States for the next five or ten years.
“Purdue ECE has been my home for 15 years, and I’ve always known what a fantastic place it is,” says Kulkarni. “But the past year has really driven that home. Getting to see all of the amazing things that our faculty, staff, and students do has made this time so rewarding. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue working with all of them to take the Elmore Family School of ECE to the next level.”
In addition to his responsibilities as department head, Kulkarni will also serve as the academic lead for Purdue Engineering Online, further advancing the university's commitment to accessible and innovative education.
Kulkarni's appointment signifies a new chapter in the distinguished history of Purdue University's Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, promising continued excellence and innovation under his leadership.
Raman says he is grateful to the search committee for their dedication to the process of selecting a new head. The committee was co-chaired by Steve Schwartz, Chair of the ECE Advisory Committee and President and CEO of Azenta Life Sciences, and Eckhard Groll, William E. and Florence E. Perry Head and Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering and supported by Stephanie Ferguson, Lead Executive Recruiter from Purdue HR and to nine other colleagues: Santiago Torres Arias, Chris Brinton, Zhihong Chen, Sammie Chergo, Jing Gao, Zubin Jacob, Irith Pomeranz (until 11/6/23), Shreyas Sundaram, Scott Sudhoff, and Sanjay Rao.