David Cappelleri has been appointed assistant vice president for research innovation in the Office of Research.

Purdue University has been designated an overseas partnership institution for global technology cooperation by the Republic of Korea. The South Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Purdue is one of only five U.S. institutions named as a formal academic partner to foster and promote joint research and development opportunities in critical technology sectors. Martin Byung-Guk Jun will serve as director of the new center.

We've all seen those Internet videos of humanoid robots walking on balance beams and doing backflips. Those impressive feats are only possible because the environment is stationary — once the ground becomes unstable, so do the robots. However, Purdue University researchers are stepping in to teach these robots how to navigate the swaying deck of a boat or the uncertainty of a moving walkway, enabling their practical use in more real-world situations.

Riley Barta, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has received the New Investigator Award from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to investigate the practical challenges of low-Global Warming Potential zeotropic refrigerant mixtures.

In 4th grade, he dressed up as astronaut (and Purdue alum) Gus Grissom. Now, after a career in the Navy and as a mountain guide, John Waggle is living his dream with a NASA internship while he works on his mechanical engineering degree from Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Heat pumps are quickly overtaking traditional heating systems in American homes, as they are more efficient and environmentally friendly. But without a proper control system, they could spike your electricity bills. Purdue University researchers have demonstrated a novel predictive control system for heat pumps, which has the potential to reduce electricity usage by about 20% and save homeowners an average of $300 every year.

The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has announced the induction of Arezoo Ardekani, professor of mechanical engineering, to its College of Fellows.

David Tree served as a professor and researcher at Purdue’s Herrick Labs for nearly 50 years. Now, some of his former students have created an endowment in his name to support future graduate students in mechanical engineering.

As a flame changes shape by the millisecond, its heat release and stability are affected. Galen King and Dustin Cruise have created patent-pending methods to dynamically manipulate a flame — from stable to oscillating to agitated — using electric fields and electrode configurations to control its heat release.

Playing for a Big Ten championship basketball team is a huge commitment. But so is studying mechanical engineering! Purdue men's basketball player Chase Martin has found a way to combine these two pursuits — conducting a research project on the biomechanics of the perfect free throw.