WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Energetics Research Center (PERC) recently recruited a new faculty member who uses lasers and high-speed imaging diagnostics to capture and measure energetic materials — explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics — as they move and transform, providing the crucial insights needed to develop efficient, next-generation fuels and propulsion systems.

Thirty-six undergraduate students recently completed the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP), a 10-week undergraduate summer research program that provides an immersive, experiential environment for undergraduates to collaborate with researchers who specialize in energetic materials — explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics.

Energetic materials — explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics — are essential to national security strategy, but in recent years, the enterprise has struggled with workforce attrition and a lack of replacement hiring. The Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP), a collaboration between the Purdue Energetics Research Center (PERC) and DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL), aims to bolster the workforce by creating a network of students from a variety of backgrounds who are excited about energetic materials research.

The 3rd biennial Purdue Energetic Materials Summit (PEMS'23), which took place June 13-15, 2023 on the Purdue University campus, hosted over 100 energetic materials experts from across government, industry and academia. PEMS brings together thought leaders and decision makers in the defense, security and academic communities to discuss key challenges and potential technical solutions associated with energetic materials.

Duarte-Cordon received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at Columbia University.

A core component of the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities – Undergraduate Program’s (AAMP-UP) mission is to promote diversity and inclusion in the field of energetics. To accomplish that goal, staff and graduate students traveled to two national conferences, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in Houston, TX and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) in Charlotte, NC, to recruit the next AAMP-UP cohort, as well as prospective graduate students interested in energetic materials and defense research.

On Oct. 27, 2022, representatives from Purdue University and Cranfield University met to sign an MOU amendment that expands their existing partnership to advance education and research in the defense space.

The Advancing Army Modernization Priorities - Energetic Materials (AAMP-EM) Cooperative Agreement is looking for graduate students to join the leadership team for the Advancing Army Modernization Priorities - Undergraduate Program (AAMP-UP), an experiential education program involving research in explosives, pyrotechnics, and propellants.

The Blast is the official newsletter of the Purdue Energetics Research Center. Three times a year, the newsletter features a "blast" of content highlighting the projects, accomplishments and events associated with PERC and its affiliated faculty, staff, students, alumni and partner organizations. In this issue, read more about research from our featured faculty member, Monique McClain, the AAMP-UP Energetic Materials Research Symposium, faculty and student accomplishments and other related Purdue defense news.

The Purdue Institute for National Security is an interdisciplinary institute that aims to promote national security and bolster the defense ecosystem on campus and within the Greater Lafayette area. Jeff Rhoads, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and member of PERC, has been named the inaugural Executive Director.