Purdue Notebook
November 10, 2006
Appointments and promotions
— Jay S. Gephart was named director of University Bands, effective Nov. 1. He had been serving as acting director since March 23. Gephart began working at Purdue in 1995 and is an associate professor and serves as director of the "All-American" Marching Band, coordinator of the concert band program and leads the university's Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra.
Faculty and staff honors
— Robert P. Lucht, a professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering, received the 2006 Discovery in Mechanical Engineering Award on Oct. 26. Lucht was recognized for developing new methods in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy. CARS allows a laser beam to probe points inside a flame and measure temperatures and trace amounts of polluting gases. The techniques will have a broad impact in a range of applications from fire research to gas-turbine engine combustors for use in both military and civil aviation. Lucht received his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from Purdue in 1977, 1979 and 1981, respectively. Before joining Purdue in 2002, Lucht served on the faculties of the University of Illinois and Texas A&M and also was a scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. This is the fifth year this award has been given to recognize outstanding impact of faculty research through, for example, a technical advance or invention with significant scientific or commercial effect or through seminal publications. The nominees are evaluated by an independent panel of professionals working in the field of mechanical engineering.— The national FFA organization honored Purdue for outstanding support as a 25-year exhibitor at the FFA National Agricultural Career Show, which took place Oct. 25-27 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. More than 365 exhibitors participated in the 41st annual trade show. FFA is a national youth organization of nearly 500,000 members preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.
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