Seven seniors selected as Purdue Engineering Fellows in the eighth cohort
One by one, they were announced.
One by one, they came to the stage at Fowler Hall at Purdue University in West Lafayette.
One by one, they shared their journeys, their successes, their gratitude in and for the College of Engineering.
And what experiences the latest cohort of Purdue Engineering Fellows have had.
Advancing innovative research in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems and thin film deposition processes used in chip manufacturing.
Cultivating leadership experience in some of the university’s largest student organizations and national societies.
Building positive relationships with peers through TA roles.
Influencing the next generation of engineers in pivotal outreach programs.
Combining technical excellence with a dedicated commitment to service.
The eighth class honored during a ceremony on Sept. 22 represented five engineering majors, including the first studying construction engineering and management.
“All of those who have walked through the wide doors of the opportunity of Purdue engineering, among those, you are the very best,” Mark Lundstrom, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering, said at the event. “You’ve excelled in critical thinking (and) problem solving and you’ve earned the respect of the peers, faculty and staff. As I read through the nominations, it was clear that the path to this recognition was different for each of you. But what is common to all seven is a combination of skills and the achievements that mark the rarest and most gifted individuals. Those that we are proud to call Purdue Engineering Fellows.”
Through the generosity of late alumnus Robert H. Buckman (BSChE ’59) and wife Joyce A. Mollerup, fellows receive $25,000 after graduation without restrictions. Buckman, who died months before the ceremony, was often mentioned Tuesday night as a stellar example of a lifelong commitment to Purdue and service to society.
"Bob was an example for me, and he really was the catlyst for me to live by one principle, and that's to enjoy the gift of giving back," said past Purdue Engineering Fellow Leony Boudreau, who moderated the event. "He inspired me to look for opportunities to help others flourish, and for that, I'll be eternally grateful."
A closer look at the 2026-27 group, nominated as juniors by faculty and staff and selected by a college committee:
The 2026-27 Purdue Engineering Fellows
Ayrton Desai, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Desai, from Allentown, New Jersey, is a senior studying aeronautical and astronautical engineering. His Purdue experience has been about far more than earning an engineering degree. It has been about helping others discover what is possible.
As an engineering tour guide and outreach director for the Purdue Student Engineering Foundation, Desai has welcomed countless prospective students and families and helped students envision themselves as part of the Boilermaker community. Serving as a College of Engineering ambassador, he presented the aeronautical and astronautical engineering awardees at last year’s Distinguished Engineering Alumni celebration.
Desai has complemented his leadership with hands-on industry experience, interning with United Airlines in Technical Operations in 2025 and Boeing in System Safety Engineering in 2026. Embodying the spirit of a Purdue engineer, he combines technical excellence with a dedicated commitment to service.
As he prepares to graduate in May 2027, he looks forward to shaping a safer, brighter future for aviation.
Carter Holbrook, School of Mechanical Engineering
Holbrook’s most impactful chapter began when a team of students took a chance on him and welcomed him into the Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC). Today, as president, he channels that same trust into student impact at scale, including managing Engineering Week, distributing funding for project teams and conferences, and helping shape the future of the First-Year Engineering curriculum.
Beyond PESC, the Plainfield, Illinois, native and mechanical engineering major serves as both a College of Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Ambassador, is a proud member of the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board, and recently competed with the Purdue men’s club volleyball team. He is also an avid intramural athlete, the source of his favorite college memory of sinking the buzzer-beating shot against the “All-American” Marching Band to win the intramural innertube water polo championship.
Above all else, what Holbrook loves most about Purdue is how collaborative and uplifting the community is. Across the College of Engineering and the university, he found no shortage of people ready to cheer him on, guide him through difficult decisions and make him laugh along the way.
Having already gained experience across the construction, manufacturing and energy sectors, Holbrook plans to pursue a career after graduation that pushes him to grow both technically and personally. Until then, he is dedicated to spending his senior year mentoring the next generation of Boilermakers and sharing the genuine pride, joy and gratitude he feels for the campus community, as well as spending time with the people that have allowed him to grow into who he is today.
Lana Malek, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department
Malek is from Hoce (HOH-cheh), Slovenia, and is majoring in biological engineering. In 2023, she moved to the United States to attend Purdue University on a varsity golf scholarship. As a student-athlete, Malek has learned to balance the demands of Division I athletics with a rigorous engineering education.
During her time at Purdue, Malek has pursued a variety of academic and professional opportunities, representing the university both on and off the golf course. Her passion for science and innovation led her to join professor Kurt Ristroph’s research laboratory in the summer of 2025, where she began working on nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems. Through this experience, her interest in pharmaceutical research and development flourished, ultimately leading to an internship in technical development at Elanco Animal Health.
After graduation, Malek plans to pursue a doctoral degree in chemical or biological engineering to prepare for a career in the pharmaceutical industry.
Anoushka Madavi, Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering
Originally from Mumbai, India, Madavi grew up in Oman and currently calls Dubai, UAE home. She is a senior studying industrial engineering with a minor in management. She has earned several academic honors and departmental scholarships during her time at Purdue, including the Outstanding Junior in Industrial Engineering Award. She is also a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Madavi has done semiconductor research at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center, studying thin film deposition processes used in chip manufacturing. Over the summer, she was a consulting intern with PwC in Dubai, where she built tracking systems and helped run a workforce transformation project for a multi-billion-dollar energy conglomerate. She has served as a teaching assistant for courses, such as ENGR 13100 and 13200, and co-founded two student organizations, the Quantitative Business Economics Association and Evolve at Purdue. She also helped grow Purdue Student Government’s social media reach.
After graduation, Madavi plans to build a career in fields that excite her, like operations consulting and semiconductor manufacturing. She credits Purdue and the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering for pushing her to grow both academically and personally and is thankful for every professor, academic advisor, classmate and friend who has been part of that journey.
Hans Milaniak, School of Mechanical Engineering
Milaniak, from Prospect Heights, Illinois, has spent his time at Purdue building and leading. He joined Purdue Lunabotics as a first-year engineering student and became drivetrain lead as a sophomore, growing the subteam from four to 20 members. As president during his junior year, he directed the 100-plus member team to a top finish at the 2026 NASA Lunabotics Competition. Under his leadership, the team achieved record funding and enrollment (more than any team in the country), took its first international trip to the UK and began a merger with the Boiler Robotics Club, amongst other major achievements.
As a senior studying mechanical engineering, Milaniak serves as president of Pi Tau Sigma, the university's mechanical engineering honor society, and sits on the Purdue Engineering Presidents Council.
Beyond Purdue, he co-founded a LEGO Robotics summer camp in his hometown that has introduced more than 180 students to engineering, and he is an Eagle Scout.
After an internship with the additive manufacturing startup Freeform last summer, Milaniak plans to pursue a full-time engineering role after graduation. He is grateful for the hands-on opportunities and tight-knit community in Purdue Engineering.
Caroline Schmidt, Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering
Schmidt, from San Diego, is the first construction engineering and management major to be honored as a Purdue Engineering Fellow.
As the recruitment chair for Beta Tau Construction Engineering Fraternity, she plans events promoting opportunities within the college and recruits future engineers. She is a Kiewit Scholar, member of Purdue Women in Construction, Dean’s List student and tutors students in Statics, Dynamics, and Structural Mechanics. She was also a civil and construction engineering ambassador, served on the university’s annual donor panel and represented Purdue at the Design-Build Institute of America Conference.
Professionally, Schmidt interned for three summers at Whiting-Turner as a project engineer. She managed work on large-scale construction of theme parks in Orlando, Florida, and a hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Beyond engineering, Schmidt currently serves as the Mental Health Executive for Purdue University Dance Marathon, the largest philanthropic organization at Purdue. She has held multiple leadership roles in PUDM including athletics outreach chair and Riley relations family captain. She also holds a leadership position in Kappa Alpha Theta and volunteers through Habitat for Humanity.
After graduation, she is returning to Orlando to continue a career in construction.
Maura Whitaker, School of Mechanical Engineering
Whitaker currently serves as president of the Purdue Society of Women Engineers (SWE), leading an organization of over 600 members, and serves on the Leadership Team for the Purdue Engineering Presidents Council.
Throughout her time at Purdue, the Mequon, Wisconsin native has held multiple leadership positions within SWE, including technical director of motorsports and Grand Prix program manager, earning the Purdue Student Life Rising Boilermaker Award her sophomore year.
As a Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassador and ME 19900 (How Stuff Works) lab instructor, she drives recruitment, engages the ME community and provides technical knowledge and mentorship to first-year students. Her practical engineering experience includes internships at Caterpillar and Rockwell Automation, alongside research at the Purdue High-Speed Compressor Lab at Zucrow Laboratories. She is also an active member of Purdue Mortar Board’s Barbara Cook Chapter, serving on its Leadership Committee.
Following graduation, Whitaker plans to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Purdue, continuing propulsion research in the High-Speed Compressor Lab before launching a career in the aerospace industry.