College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Early Career Teaching

Dr. Abigail Engelberth received the College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Early Career Teaching, which honors assistant professors for outstanding undergraduate teaching on the West Lafayette campus. Engleberth’s contributions to learning in both Agricultural & Biological Engineering and EEE have included the development of new content, curricula and teaching tools at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She says that learning-by-doing is at the center of her instructional philosophy.

Dr. Engelberth’s previous recognition includes: Inaugural winner of the ABE Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award (2016). Fellow in Purdue’s Teaching for Tomorrow program (AY 2014-15). ABE department nominee for the Richard L. Kohls Early Career Award within the College of Agriculture (2014 and 2015). National Effective Teaching Institute (2013).  

VIDEO: Testimonials about Abigail Engelberth

College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Early Career Research

Dr. Andrew Whelton, an associate professor in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, received the College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Early Career Research. He credits this to the opportunity to work with great students, postdoctoral associates and University and industry collaborators.

Dr. Whelton is a nationally recognized environmental engineer who has applied his unique skill set to uncover and address problems at the interface of infrastructure materials, the environment and public health (drinking water contamination and construction site safety). His discoveries have positively changed how government agencies (EPA, CDC, NRC, NIOSH, and NIST), water utilities, nonprofit organizations, health departments, state legislatures and building owners approach their responsibilities. He is currently leading a Purdue science and engineering support team to assist communities affected by the largest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history, among other projects.

Dr. Whelton’s previous recognition includes Civil Engineering’s Roy E. and Myrna G. Wasnik Research Leadership Award (2017) and the EEE Outstanding Engineering Graduate Student Mentor award (2017). 

VIDEO: Testimonials about Andrew Whelton

College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Online Education

Dr. Loring (Larry) Nies received the College of Engineering Faculty Excellence Award for Online Education, which honors faculty excellence in course development and pedagogy of a digital education course. His nomination cited his outstanding ability to engage and inspire thousands of students in environmental engineering courses, and his unwavering dedication to mentoring, counseling, advising and leading students.

Dr. Nies has designed EEE courses including the innovative Engineering Environmental Sustainability course completed by more than 2,000 students from dozens of different majors over the last 15 years. The graduate-level online course Global Sustainable Engineering has enrolled a wide international audience of more than 250 students over the last 10 years. He has also been instrumental in the development of EEE as a field of study. He was the PI on a NSF grant that established Purdue’s EEE undergraduate plan of study, which ultimately grew into the BSEEE degree program. He led college-level efforts to establish the EEE administrative structure to support the degree, and co-authored the BSEEE degree proposal approved by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The BSEEE degree program now includes approximately 138 sophomores-seniors. He is the EEE Undergraduate Chair.

Professor Nies has twice received the Ross Judson Buck Outstanding Counselor Award in Civil Engineering (2003 and 2014). Since fall 2012 he has been a guest instructor in First Year Engineering. He was the recipient of the Society of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Instructional Excellence Award (2013 and 2016). He was honored with the Learning Communities Advocate Award (2013). He was inducted into Purdue’s Book of Great Teachers (2013). He was honored with the Marion B. Scott Outstanding Professor Award (2013), the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists Excellence in Environmental Engineering Education Award (2015), and the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award (2016). He is a member of the Purdue University Teaching Academy.

VIDEO: Testimonials about Larry Niles