SEE’s Liddell receives 2025 ACLCA Michael Levy Rising Star Award
At Purdue, Liddell leads the Liddell Research Group, which uses interdisciplinary engineering methods to tackle multiscale challenges in manufacturing sustainability and the mechanics of multilayered systems. She teaches courses in carbon accounting and product design and was named a 2025 Outstanding Engineering Instructor earlier this year. Liddell also serves on ACLCA’s Education and Conference Planning Committees, as well as its LCA for Emerging Technologies Working Group.
Her career honors include the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary’s Honor Award, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary’s Appreciation Award, and the DOE EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Explorer Award.
“Having transitioned into life cycle assessment only a few years ago from a background in mechanical engineering experimentation, this recognition from my peers means a great deal,” Liddell said. “Joining the LCA community allowed me to find new ways to contribute to industrial sustainability — and that mission drives my work every day.”
Reflecting on the award’s namesake, she added: “Mike Levy exemplified generosity, passion and rigor — the qualities that make the LCA community so strong. From my first days with ACLCA, colleagues and mentors welcomed me, shared their insights, and made this organization feel like home. This award motivates me to pay those experiences forward to my students and the next generation of sustainability professionals.”
The ACLCA aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and professional growth in the life cycle assessment community — values closely aligned with Liddell’s own career. Before joining Purdue in 2023, she was a senior scientist and group leader at Energetics, where she worked with the DOE to advance sustainable manufacturing technologies. She co-authored several major national reports, including the Quadrennial Technology Review (2015), the U.S. Decarbonization Roadmap (2022), and Transformative Pathways for U.S. Industry (2025).
In addition to her research, Liddell helped create freely available LCA tools and educational materials, including a popular DOE YouTube video series introducing key sustainability concepts.
Liddell emphasizes that collaboration, mentorship and impact are at the core of her professional philosophy.
“Cross-disciplinary and industry partnerships are essential to translating academic research into real-world solutions,” she explained. “I encourage my students to think in systems, communicate their findings through compelling narratives, and maintain technical rigor. My experiences in both government and industry have shown me how teaching and research can strengthen each other.”
Since joining Purdue, Liddell has built a vibrant research team within the School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering.
“In just two years, my group has grown from one (just me!) to seven talented graduate students, each bringing unique expertise,” she said. “The collaborative, interdisciplinary culture at Purdue — including some connections seeded by Purdue’s Institute for a Sustainable Future — has opened exciting opportunities across campus.”
Her group is currently collaborating with Professors Nate Hartman and Chad Laux in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute on automation and Lean Manufacturing principles in an Industry 4.0 testbed. They are also partnering with Professor Jon Wilker (Chemistry) to evaluate a soy-based epoxy alternative and with Professor Deandrae Smith (Food Science) to advance a radiofrequency drying technology for animal feeds.
“I’m fortunate to work alongside colleagues who are leaders in their fields and generous with their time and mentorship,” Liddell said. “It’s a great place to be as a young investigator.”