Schmidt Science Fellows nominees announced
Christian Ley, a Ph.D. student in environmental and ecological engineering, is passionate about international development and water quality research in low-resource settings. Christian has traveled internationally to assess community water treatment systems, including service with Engineers Without Borders. In future work, Christian hopes to develop novel molecular devices and instrumentation for toxicity screening and pathogen detection for use in biodefense and low-resource settings.
Chanel Beebe, pursuing both a master’s degree in industrial engineering and a Ph.D. in engineering education, blends engineering thinking, learning science, and community engagement to tackle tough social issues. Within her current research, Chanel identifies and unpacks marginalized voices within socially engaged design experiences. This work is informing future curriculum development with the goal of enhancing broad participation within engineering and other disciplines.
Sarah Daly, a recent Ph.D. graduate in agricultural and biological engineering, is tackling the dual issues of renewable energy and waste management. Her recent work used machine learning to model anaerobic digestion systems and examined large-scale implementation. Her future work aims to investigate the microbial response to microplastics, ultimately contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, and the development of targeted biological systems to degrade plastics.
The Schmidt Science Fellows program provides the world’s best emerging scientists with new skills and perspectives to develop novel solutions to society’s challenges. These exceptional individuals become scientific and societal thought leaders and accelerate ground-breaking discoveries. Fellows undertake a year-long postdoctoral placement with internationally-renowned labs. Fellows must demonstrate the commitment and character to engage with society and global challenges to making a lasting difference in the world.
The competitive selection process will continue with Purdue’s nominees submitting a full application to the Schmidt Science Fellows program. The 2021 cohort of Schmidt Science Fellows will be selected and announced in May 2021.