From the Dean: July 2021

Dear Purdue Engineering Community,

We hope you have had an enjoyable Fourth of July weekend if you are in the U.S., and safe travels if you are abroad.

Later this week, Virgin Galactic will launch its next mission with a crew of six commercial-sector astronauts. Among them are Purdue Engineering alumna Beth Moses (BSAAE, MSAAE) and alumna Sirisha Bandla (BSAAE). Beth was at the Apollo 11’s 50th anniversary here on campus two years ago. Sirisha graduated from Purdue just 10 years ago, and she is now the youngest member of the Cradle of Astronauts. Through the Purdue Engineering Initiative in Cislunar: we will continue to contribute to the talent development, research, and tech transfer of human space exploration.

Another PEI that has generated tremendous impact in the past year is the one on Autonomous and Connected Systems. The ACS Initiative brings together research teams in autonomy, robotics, and the internet of things. Purdue’s partnership with University of Pennsylvania on the $26M NSF Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) Engineering Research Center focused on food, energy, and water security challenge. Purdue’s partnership with University of Michigan in a $9.95M USDOT project aimed at demonstrating the capability of transmitting traffic control system data to connected and autonomous vehicles. Purdue is a partner in a $8M award from the National Spectrum Consortium to do foundational research involving wireless communication, machine learning, information theory, and network optimization. Our faculty members have been awarded a USDOT Design Challenge grant aimed at improving transportation access to persons with disabilities and mobility challenges, and developed a strong program with autonomous underwater glider. Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has committed to fund the first contactless wireless charging road segment in the U.S. to support the NSF ASPIRE (Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification) Engineering Research Center. The March 2021, virtual Purdue Road School had 2,500 registrants and over 18,000 contact hours in 19 sessions. And now we are developing an MS degree in Autonomy, Robotics and IoT, and hosting colleagues from universities around the globe this fall for the 2021 Indy Autonomous Challenge. More information about these and other ACS activities.

Before summer started, we also had the chance to recognize some of our outstanding students, and to celebrate faculty for their impact in learning, discovery and engagement in 2020. Warm congratulations:

Dean A.A. Potter Undergraduate Teaching Award: Michael Zoltowski (Thomas J. and Wendy Engibous Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Early Career Teaching Award: Tyler Tallman (Assistant Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics)

Graduate Student Mentorship Award: Julie Liu (Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and of Biomedical Engineering by courtesy)

Online Education Award: Milind Kulkarni (Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Early Career Research Award: Shreyas Sen (Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Impact on Industry Award: Gerhard Klimeck (Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Research Award: Steven Son (Alfred J. McAllister Professor of Mechanical Engineering)

Engagement Award: Steven Collicott (Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics)</p>

Dean H.T. Yang Leadership in Service Award: David Umulis (Dane A. Miller Head and Professor of Biomedical Engineering and of Agricultural and Biological Engineering)

Mung

Mung Chiang
John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering
Roscoe H. George Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Purdue University

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