Appointments, honors and activities

Faculty and staff honors:

Professors Lin Tan, computer science, and Sanjay Rao, electrical and computer engineering, were named Distinguished Members by the world’s largest society of computing professionals, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The Distinguished Member designation is the second-highest level of distinction for ACM members, with less than 10% of members ever holding this honor. The recognition is given to ACM members who have achieved significant accomplishments or have made a significant impact on the computing field.

Letian Dou, the Charles Davidson Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, has earned the NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant from the National Science Foundation for research in the electronic properties of perovskites. The CAREER program is the NSF’s most prestigious award in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Dou is the principal investigator of a research group for the study “Understanding and Quantifying Ion Migration and Diffusion in Two-Dimensional Halide Perovskite Heterostructures” and will receive more than $500,000 over the next five years for his work.

Guillermo Paniagua, professor of mechanical engineering, has received the prestigious Humboldt Research Award. This award recognizes internationally leading researchers whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or findings have had a lasting effect on their discipline beyond their immediate research area and who are expected to continue producing outstanding research in the future. Winners of the Humboldt Research Award are invited to spend up to one year collaborating on a long-term research project with specialist colleagues at a research institution in Germany. Paniagua will move to Germany for six months to conduct research at Technical University of Darmstadt.

Three professors have been elected to the Optica 2022 Fellows Class. Zubin Jacob, the Elmore Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Alexander Kildishev, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Terrence Meyer, professor of mechanical engineering, were selected based on their significant contributions to education, research, engineering, business and serving the community. The three professors are among 106 new fellows from 24 countries. Fellow membership in Optica is limited to no more than 10% of the membership and is reserved for members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics. The new Optica Fellows will be honored at the Society’s conferences and events throughout 2022.

Wenzhuo Wu, the Ravi and Eleanor Talwar Rising Star Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, recently joined the Editorial Advisory Board of Advanced Engineering Materials, a research journal published by Wiley. The journal highlights the latest breakthroughs in engineering materials and novel materials that are making those important first steps toward commercialization, with a strong focus on new manufacturing techniques. The Editorial Advisory Board consists of leading researchers from universities around the world.

*  *  *  *  *

Notables:

Purdue University was awarded the 2021 Stan Jones Student Success Award by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education during the Indiana Student Advocates Conference in December. This award, named in honor of Jones, founder and former president of Complete College America and former Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education. It was designed to build upon Jones’ legacy of landmark education policy and student success initiatives. Purdue’s Division of Summer Session was recognized in its efforts to enhance programming and assist student learning despite COVID-19 instructional changes.