Metallurgical to Materials Engineering Celebrating 50 years

In 1959, a small division within the School of Chemical Engineering broke off on its own.

Five department heads and two name changes later, the School of Materials Engineering is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Since the 1920s and '30s, Purdue has been teaching metallurgy. But if the break from chemical engineering hadn't occurred, says Keith Bowman, head and professor of Materials Engineering, the school and materials science and engineering at Purdue wouldn't be where they are today.

"We have our hand in every discipline in the engineering realm," Bowman says. "Forming our own school has given Purdue the ability to have faculty contribute to education on materials similar to the over 50 materials programs spread across the United States."

Alumni gathered on Oct. 23 and 24 to celebrate the event, which will featured materials processing labs, a tour of Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering and a celebratory dinner. At the dinner, each alumnus received a history book, compiled by professor Mysore Dayananda.

The School of Materials Engineering has 1,700 living alumni. The two-day event had around 170 invited attendees with representatives from every decade, including those from before and after the formation of the school.