Trustees ratify faculty positions; approve new degree programs, resolutions of appreciation and naming

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (Feb. 7) ratified two faculty appointments and also approved two new degree programs, resolutions of appreciation and a naming.

The newly ratified faculty are:

• Luna Lu as the Indiana ACPA Professor in Concrete Paving and Materials Science
• John Sutherland as Distinguished Professor of Environmental and Ecological Engineering

Lu joined Purdue’s civil engineering faculty in 2015 and currently serves as the Reilly Professor in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering with a courtesy appointment in the School of Materials Engineering. She is vice president of industry partnerships and founding director of the Center for Intelligent Infrastructure. Her research interests lie in novel nanomaterials and IoT devices for energy harvesting and infrastructure sensing applications. Lu has transferred technologies from her research lab into engineering applications and formed companies based on her innovations. She also has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications, two books and six book chapters and holds 10 published and provisional patents. Lu is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Her work has garnered many prestigious honors, including the 2014 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2019 Purdue Faculty Scholar, 2020 Vebleo Scientist Award, 2021 ASCE Gamechanger, 2022 ASCE Alfred Noble Prize, the best invention of 2023 by TIME magazine, the 2024 Edison Award and more.

Sutherland is the Fehsenfeld Family Head of Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE). He is an international leader and pioneer in the field of sustainable manufacturing. He has investigated such topics as circular economy; life cycle assessment; and techno-economic analysis of critical material applications, social sustainability and smart manufacturing. He has secured numerous externally funded projects, mentored over 100 students to completion of their graduate degrees, including 36 PhD students, and published nearly 500 papers in various journals and conference proceedings. Sutherland is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, CIRP — International Academy of Production Engineering, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. His recognitions include an NSF Presidential Early CAREER Award for Scientists and Engineers, SME Education Award, ASME Ennor Manufacturing Technology Award, SME Gold Medal and election to the National Academy of Engineering. He came to Purdue in 2009 shortly after the EEE program was established to serve as its head and has led its growth into one of the nation’s largest such programs. EEE is unique in blending sustainability engineering and classic environmental engineering.

Purdue is expanding its academic offerings with the launch of two new graduate programs designed to meet growing industry needs. Trustees approved the creation of a Master of Science in Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturing and a Master of Science in Sport Management, both set to begin in fall 2025.

The Master of Science in Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturing will be offered primarily in Indianapolis via a hybrid format, strengthening the One Health Initiative and addressing a critical workforce shortage in this rapidly expanding field. The radiopharmaceutical theranostics market — valued at $3 billion today — is expected to quadruple to $12 billion in the next decade.

Indianapolis, home to 15 manufacturers at various stages of growth, has emerged as a national hub for radiopharmaceutical development. Purdue’s new program will provide students with cutting-edge training through a curriculum that integrates virtual, augmented and extended reality exercises. In-person learning opportunities will include a hands-on capstone course, with additional elective options for specialized equipment training.

The Master of Science in Sport Management will be based on Purdue’s main campus, with opportunities for students to take courses in both Indianapolis and West Lafayette. The interdisciplinary program is designed to prepare graduates for careers in the fast-growing sports and entertainment industry, which is projected to expand 4% in Indiana and 11% nationwide between 2023 and 2033.

Indianapolis, home to major sports organizations and a thriving sports infrastructure, provides an ideal setting for students to gain hands-on experience. The program will leverage Purdue’s strong partnerships with Purdue Athletics, Indiana Sports Corp and other industry leaders, offering students access to valuable internships and research opportunities in a city that plays host to numerous high-profile sporting events.

Both programs reflect Purdue’s commitment to meeting workforce demands and preparing students for future career success in dynamic and evolving industries.

In other action, trustees approved resolutions of appreciation for friends of the university who recently contributed $1 million or more to Purdue. Those are:

• Wende Sawyer Hutton and Steve Sawyer, to support the College of Science
• Jeannie and Jim Chaney, to support the College of Liberal Arts
• Jake and Kyle Allen, to support the College of Pharmacy
• Donald and Susan Barrick, to support Intercollegiate Athletics, the College of Pharmacy and the College of Veterinary Medicine
• David and Beth Bergeron, to support the John Martinson Honors College
• Barbara Duckworth, to support the School of Mechanical Engineering
• Norman and Lioubov Gilsdorf, to support the College of Engineering
• William and Patricia Joyner, to support Purdue Polytechnic Institute
• Donna Reed (dec. 2024), to support the College of Agriculture
• Lori and Peter Ziesmer, to support Intercollegiate Athletics

Additionally, trustees approved the following naming:

• The Giant Leaps Conference Room, in honor of President Emeritus Mitch Daniels, made possible by Jeannie and Jim Chaney, located in the Steven C. Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education

Trustees also approved a resolution of appreciation for Brian Edelman, who retired as president of the Purdue Research Foundation, effective Feb. 1.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.