Since opening its doors in 1874, Purdue University's College of Engineering and its graduates have been at the forefront of technological breakthroughs and are now poised to lead the next generation of engineers in the United States and around the globe. Featuring more than twenty-five essays from former Boilermakers, Engineering 50 Years From Today both celebrates the program's 150th anniversary and looks ahead, exploring what the field of engineering might look like half a century from now. Leading luminaries from Purdue's engineering community, including prominent university professors as well as innovators working in the private sector, reveal how technologies related to everything from biotech and nanotechnology to space exploration and AI could be harnessed to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all. The book also features brief essays from elementary school students who foresee a world in which engineering solves issues such as climate change, enables deep-space travel, and even cures certain human diseases. These young voices, along with those of successful Purdue alumni, offer a fascinating glimpse into the potential technological, social, cultural, and political challenges of the twenty-first century and what tools engineers might use to address them.
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.
