Congratulations to Lindsey Payne for receiving Purdue University’s Exceptional Early Career Teaching Award! Last month, amidst her class, Purdue Pete and a group of well-wishers surprised Lindsey with this prestigious honor. Despite the lack of prior notice, her students were quick to affirm the accuracy of the award. The overarching message is clear: Lindsey genuinely cares about her students and guides each of them with a personalized approach to achieving their goals.

In her own words, Lindsey reflects on this achievement:

"I feel incredibly fortunate to teach, inspire, and collaborate with our talented EEE students every day. EEE 472, Community-Engaged Engineering Design, holds my proudest moments as an educator. I'm not only proud of the curriculum and community-engaged experience I created for my students, but the growth I get to see in them. This is often their first opportunity to "own" a real-world engineering problem and thoughtfully collaborate with communities to address it. They continue to impress me more and more every year with their growth in this space."

The positive impact of the EEE 472 course and curriculum extends beyond the classroom and into the local news. Recently, WLFI covered Lindsey and her students’ latest project at McPaw Dog Park. In an interview with Emma Hornfeck, an environmental and ecological engineering student, she highlighted Lindsey’s leadership in this project and its goals of using what they learn in the classroom in real situations.

Lindsey Payne’s exceptional teaching and dedication to community-engaged engineering exemplify her commitment to both her students and the broader community. Her impact resonates not only within the classroom but also in real-world applications, making her a truly exceptional educator.