WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University School of Materials Engineering will welcome internationally recognized materials scientist and engineering leader Christopher A. Schuh for the 2026 Winchell Distinguished Lecture on Sept. 28.

The lecture, one of the School of Materials Engineering's premier annual events, will take place in ARMS 1010. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m., and the lecture will begin promptly at 3:45 p.m. Prior to the lecture, Purdue alumni, industry partners, faculty, students and friends of the school are invited to attend a special reception from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Spurgeon Club at Mackey Arena.

Schuh serves as dean of Northwestern University's Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and is the John G. Searle Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. His lecture, titled "The Coming Age of Computationally Designed Grain Boundary Chemistry," will explore how advances in computation and data science are enabling researchers to design grain boundary chemistry, structures and properties in polycrystalline materials, opening new possibilities for materials discovery, experimentation and commercialization.

"The Winchell Distinguished Lecture brings influential voices in materials engineering to Purdue," said Bryan Huey, professor and Blacutt-Underwood Head of the School of Materials Engineering. "We are honored to welcome Dean Schuh, whose pioneering work has helped shape the future of materials research. This event offers a unique opportunity for our students, faculty, alumni and industry partners to engage with a world-leading researcher and engineering leader."

Schuh previously served as the POSCO Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he led the department from 2011 to 2020. A member of both the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors, he is widely recognized for his contributions to materials science and engineering.

The Winchell Distinguished Lecture is a longstanding tradition that highlights transformative advances in materials science while fostering connections among the broader Purdue materials community. Organizers encourage attendees to register as soon as possible for the lecture, reception or both.

"We look forward to welcoming members of the Purdue and materials engineering communities for what promises to be an outstanding event," Huey said. "We encourage anyone interested in attending to RSVP early and join us for this special opportunity."

Additional information about the lecture, including registration details, is available on the School of Materials Engineering website.

Event Details

Winchell Distinguished Lecture

• Speaker: Christopher A. Schuh, Dean, Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University
• Date: Monday, Sept. 28
• Doors Open: 3:30 p.m.
• Lecture Begins: 3:45 p.m.
• Location: ARMS 1010
• Reception: 1:30-3:30 p.m., Spurgeon Club at Mackey Arena
• RSVP: (link)

About the Speaker

Christopher A. Schuh is dean of the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University and the John G. Searle Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. He previously served as department head and professor at MIT and is a fellow of ASM International and The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society. He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors.