Appointments, honors and activities
November 14, 2014
• Faculty and staff honors:
- Yvonne Pitts, an associate professor of history, received the 2014 Cromwell Book Prize for her book, which was published by Cambridge University Press. The award was given by the American Society for Legal History. The society said about her book, "By combining intensive research in local wills and appellate cases from Kentucky over the course of a century, Pitts combines a close reading of black-letter law with a subtle appreciation of the changing cultural contexts of inheritance in a febrile era of emancipation, rapid economic change, and the expansion of women's roles in politics and society."
• Alumni honors:
- Livia Eberlin, who earned her doctoral degree in analytical chemistry from Purdue University in 2012, is a 2014 L'Oréal USA For Women In Science Fellow. Eberlin is one of five scientists to win the award, which recognizes researchers for their outstanding contributions in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Recipients receive $60,000 for their postdoctoral research and participate in a White House roundtable with women scientists from across the executive branch, visit Congressional offices, participate in a mentoring session with local high school students at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and tour L'Oréal's research and innovation labs in Clark, New Jersey. Eberlin was recognized for developing a technique to more efficiently diagnose and evaluate cancer that is showing promise in a pilot program for gastric and other cancers. She also was recognized for her role as a mentor to a female scientist through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Exceptional Research Opportunities Program, which provides undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds with summer research experiences, according to the program. Eberlin is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Stanford University. More information is available at http://www.lorealusa.com/press-releases/loreal-usa-announces-2014-for-women-in-science-fellows.aspx
- The University of Idaho will rename the Student Union Building on its campus in Moscow, Idaho, the Bruce M. Pitman Center. Pitman, a 1971 alumnus of Purdue, is retiring as dean of students and vice provost for academic affairs at the university. His wife, Kathy, also is a 1971 graduate of Purdue. Pitman started at the University of Idaho in 1973 as the campus Greek adviser and became dean of students in 1981. During his tenure, Pitman initiated programs to address campus safety, mental illness and sexual assault; led university-wide efforts to reduce student drug and alcohol use; and helped develop the Alternative Service Break program, in which student groups spend spring and winter breaks serving communities in need across the nation and world. For more, visit http://www.uidaho.edu/newsevents/here-we-have-idaho-magazine/bruce-pitman
• Rankings:
- Krannert School of Management placed 43rd overall and 19th among public schools in the 2014 BloombergBusinessweek ranking of full-time MBA programs at U.S. business schools. Schools were ranked based on company recruiter and graduating student surveys and faculty research published in journals. In a separate ranking of the top 50 business schools, Krannert ranked third for one-year return on investment for its full-time MBA program. That ranking is based on the cost of the program, two years of wages that are given up and the salary bump students get after graduating. More information on the surveys is available at http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-11/best-business-schools-2014-duke-is-top-full-time-mba-harvard-slips and http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-11/best-business-schools-2014-is-my-mba-worth-it-roi-at-top-schools.