Since its founding 150 years ago, Purdue University’s College of Engineering has profoundly shaped and improved the world, amassing breakthroughs spanning nearly all facets of society. Highlighting the indomitable spirit, ingenuity, and achievements of more than 100 Boilermaker alumni and faculty members, 150 Years of Purdue Engineering describes the program’s journey to become one of the most consequential engineering colleges in the United States. Richly illustrated with archival and contemporary images, this book includes stories that focus on Purdue innovators who have created everything from the barcode and the electronic TV receiver to the soft-serve ice cream machine and artificial kidney. It also shares the story of “John” Mohammed M. Atalla, the co-inventor of the MOSFET, the most produced and used digital circuits in circulation today. Indeed, a Purdue alumnus played a key role in the development of the most replicated engineered device in human history. Other Boilermakers featured include Neil Armstrong, the first human to step foot on the moon; Charles Alton Ellis, a lead designer of the Golden Gate Bridge; and Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. While celebrating the past, 150 Years of Purdue Engineering also provides a glimpse into the next century and a half as the university continues to cultivate talent, promote research, and share its engineering acumen with the state of Indiana and the world.
Arvind Raman is the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering and the Robert V. Adams Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. He is internationally recognized for his research on vibrations and nonlinear dynamics in nanotechnology, biomechanics, and manufacturing. He has been instrumental in founding the Shah Family Global Innovation Lab in the College of Engineering, which fosters technology development and translation of technologies for sustainable development. Raman’s notable contributions include advancements with the Atomic Force Microscope, an indispensable tool for scientists and the industrial community to better image and measure properties of complex materials. Additionally, simulation tools developed by Raman’s group on the nanohub have been used by thousands of researchers worldwide. An ASME fellow and recipient of the ASME Gustus Larson Memorial Award, a Keeley Fellowship, a College of Engineering outstanding young investigator prize, and an NSF CAREER award, Raman has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to engineering innovation.
Jim Small is a lifelong storyteller whose career spans global marketing, media, and higher education. From launching the television series NBA Inside Stuff to working as the associate vice president for engagement at the University of Notre Dame, Small has played a role in creating influential iconic brands and record-setting marketing campaigns. His passion remains the same: crafting stories that move people to think, feel, and do.
