Alumni and Student Highlights

Our Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE) and Interdisciplinary Engineering Studies (IDES) programs house driven students and produce interesting, high-achieving graduates. That may be because the programs give rise to emerging fields that expand the breadth and knowledge of what it means to be an engineer. These stories highlight the experiences and accomplishments of our alumni and students.


October 24, 2024

Carina Ferguson ('19, MDE-Theatre Engineering): TAIT entertainment systems engineer

MDE Alumna Carina Ferguson (BSE, MDE, '19) moved to Florida after graduation to be an entertainment systems engineer. She now works for TAIT, a company that engineers experiences for theme parks, concerts — including Taylor Swift’s — and more. At TAIT, she designs show control panels for theme park attractions and experiences her team’s efforts come to life. (Q&A)
April 1, 2024

Kara Cunzeman ('08, MDE): 38 by 38 Award recipient

MDE Alumna and Purdue Engineering 38 by 38 Award Winner Kara Cunzeman's work is critical to the nation's ability to make sound strategic choices for space and broader U.S. leadership. She has helped lead, champion, and co-found the Strategic Foresight Directorate within the Center for Space Policy and Strategy at The Aerospace Corporation.
April 1, 2024

Keith Rhoades ('11, MDE-General Engineering): 38 by 38 Award Winner

It's more than likely that Keith Rhoades has worked on at least one of the products on your desk, in your child's toybox, or in your refrigerator, medicine cabinet or snack drawer. Currently the global director at Interek RiSE, he has advanced six levels within the company in nine years. He is a "myth buster" of sorts, defining risks in the consumer-product experience.
April 1, 2024

Abby Lemert ('18, MDE-Global Security Engineering): 38 by 38 Award Winner

If Abby Lemert's MDE education taught her anything, it was that "the largest leaps are never the work of one person," and that "the strongest, most robust innovations emerge only through collaboration, not competition." This humble approach has fueled her scholarly exploits and catapulted her career in the field of technology accountability law, helping regulators keep pace with technologies like social media and AI.
May 4, 2023

Alex Offenbach ('16, MDE): Assistant engineer with Chip Ganassi Racing

Alum Alex Offenbach (BSE, MDE, ’16) was just 13 when he got the racing bug. Now he’s gearing up for the #Indy500 as an assistant engineer with Chip Ganassi Racing. Read about his exciting career journey and that of three other Purdue students working in the world of motorsports.
May 28, 2022

Alex Offenbach ('16, MDE-General Engineering): IndyCar Systems Engineer

Alex Offenbach is an IndyCar systems engineer for A.J. Foyt Racing. This is a new position for Alex and only months into his role on the team. And like the generations of Boilermakers who have left a legacy at the Indianapolis 500, Alex is making his own impact one step at a time.
May 13, 2022

Jack Costello III, MDE-General Engineering

Jack is a 2022 graduate in our Multidisciplinary Engineering Degree Program with a concentration in General Engineering. His interests and pathway through the program led him to continue his passion for rockets, soon to be a manufacturing engineer for Agile Space Industries. Learn why he chose MDE and the memories he shared about his time with the Purdue Space Program.
May 13, 2022

Laura Zerla, MDE-Visual Design Engineering

Laura Zerla, a 2022 senior in our Multidisciplinary Engineering Degree Program, will take her next giant leap as a mechanical engineer for an architecture and engineering firm in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In her Q&A, Laura provides insight into why a concentration in Visual Design Engineering and how she found her fit at Purdue.
May 13, 2022

Eli Mackley, MDE-Engineering Management

Eli Mackley, a 2022 senior in our Multidisciplinary Engineering Degree Program, will soon head back home to Seattle for his next giant leap as a systems engineer. In this Q&A, Eli brings an insight into the world of MDE and how it bolstered his desired pathway in nuclear systems for space applications. Learn why he chose MDE, his time with the Purdue Space Program and what's next!
May 12, 2022

Joseph Fiebig, MDE-Engineering Management

Joseph Fiebig, a 2022 senior in our Multidisciplinary Engineering Degree Program, will soon head out to Erie, PA for his next giant leap. We caught up with Joe before commencement to learn more about his time at Purdue and in the MDE undergraduate program.
February 8, 2021

Eugene Lee (MDE): Nintendo Software Developer

As a DevOps Engineer for Nintendo Technology Development, MDE Alumnus Eugene Lee works daily with developers and project managers to establish best practices for testing, troubleshoot infrastructure and code, and maintain environments suitable for testing a wide array of products and scenarios. Lee shares some of their novel code through the Code Project platform.
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