EVPRP 2018-19 Annual Report Research Awards

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, professor of human development and family studies in the College of Health and Human Sciences, received the 2019 Lu Ann Aday Award for her pioneering work in military family research.

Also director and co-founder of the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue, Wadsworth has primarily focused her research on relationships between work and family life. In 2000, her academic pursuits took a new direction when she began to research military families. She has published numerous journal articles, books and book chapters on the psychological health of members of military families upon being reunited after deployment; the economic status of military families; and readjustment needs of veterans, service members and their families.

Evgenii Narimanov

Evgenii Narimanov, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, was presented with the 2019 Arden L. Bement Jr. Award for his field-defining work in metamaterials and contributions to the field of hyperbolic metamaterials.

Narimanov, who is also a faculty member in the Birck Nanotechnology Center in Discovery Park, pioneered the concept of hyperbolic metamaterials in the field of nanophotonics. Hyperbolic metamaterials represent a new class of optical media with numerous applications. Narimanov’s work, for example, could lead to development of a photonic hypercrystal that would be the basis of emerging Li-Fi communications.

Sabre Kais

Sabre Kais, professor of chemistry in the College of Science, received the 2019 Herbert Newby McCoy Award for his innovative work in quantum computing and quantum chemistry calculations.

Kais, who also has courtesy appointments in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Computer Science, was recognized for his creation of novel quantum computing algorithms for chemical calculations and the formulation of finite-size scaling algorithms for assessing the stability of atomic and molecular systems. His work has implications for understanding the role of quantum coherence and entanglement in intricate systems such as photosynthesis, solar cells and complex chemical reactions.

Kathleen Howell, Distinguished Hsu Lo Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, College of Engineering– Mark Simons

Kathleen Howell, the Hsu Lo Distinguished Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, received the 2019 Morrill Award, the highest career-achievement recognition for a Purdue faculty member.

Howell has made pioneering contributions in celestial mechanics and astrodynamics, and her research has had a major impact on numerous past and ongoing NASA and international spaceflight missions.

Established in 2012, the Morrill Award recognizes full-professor faculty who best exhibit excellence in and synergies among all three dimensions of their profession — teaching, research and engagement — with evidence of the impact or potential impact of their work on society. Each year, the Office of the Provost selects up to three Morrill Award recipients who receive a $30,000 cash prize.

Chris Greene

Chris Greene, the Albert Overhauser Distinguished Professor of Physics, was elected in 2019 to the National Academy of Sciences, considered one of the highest honors a scientist can achieve.

Greene has done pioneering work in theoretical, molecular and optical physics, seeking to understand the quantum mechanical behavior of increasingly complex atomic and molecular systems. By developing new theoretical methods and using computer calculations to solve harder problems that couldn’t previously be solved theoretically, he aims to understand some of the most baffling interactions in physics. He is among four living Purdue colleagues who are current members of the academy.

Mark Cushman

Mark Cushman, a distinguished professor of medicinal chemistry, was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2019. Fellows of the NAI are inventors on U.S. patents who are nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions in patents and licensing, noteworthy discovery, significant effect on society, and support and enhancement of innovation.

In 1977, Cushman created an organic compound byproduct in his Purdue lab with the ability to oppose the effects of leukemia. Today, more than 500 structural analogues of that byproduct have been synthesized, including three now in clinical trials at the National Cancer Institute. They have the potential to become mass-produced, lifesaving treatments for people with cancer.

President Mitch Daniels formal portraits 2016– John Underwood

Purdue University President Mitch Daniels was among more than 200 individuals elected in 2019 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.

The academy recognizes the achievements of individuals in academia, the arts, business, government and public affairs. The president joins seven other Purdue colleagues who are current members of the elite organization. The late Michael Rossmann, the Hanley Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences, also was a member.

Jianxin Ma

Three faculty members were named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. They were among the 416 individuals named worldwide in 2018 for their efforts in advancing science or its applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished.Jianxin Ma, professor of agronomy, was recognized for distinguished contributions to the field of plant genetics and breeding, particularly in uncovering molecular networks underpinning key agricultural traits such as maturity and growth. Applying his expertise in plant genetics and genomics, Ma focuses much of his research on characterizing the genomics of globally important crops such as soybeans, cacao, rice and other plants.

James Ogg

James Ogg, retired professor of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, was honored for his role in establishing the international geologic time scale, particularly through major reference books and international commissions, and for enabling access to Earth history.

Nancy Pelaez

Nancy Pelaez, associate professor of biological sciences with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, was recognized for distinguished contributions to undergraduate science education, assessment and faculty development, particularly in advancing competencies in biological experimentation. Pelaez is principal investigator of a National Science Foundation-funded project on assessing competence in experimental design in biology.

Gerhard Klimeck

Gerhard Klimeck, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the National Science Foundation Network for Computational Nanotechnology, received a 2019 Humboldt Research Award from Germany’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Attending the ceremonies were Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Considered one of the most prestigious in science, the annual award is given to researchers from all academic disciplines who have made significant discoveries that have impacted their fields and who likely will continue to do so. As a Humboldt Award recipient, Klimeck will conduct research with colleagues in Germany for 12 months spread over several years.