In May of 2012 Purdue recognized retired Colonel Ben Pollard with an honorary doctorate for his courage and fortitude as an exemplary leader. He (B.S. Agriculture Engineering ’54, MSME ’61, DEA ’79, OME ’91, HDR ‘12) served in the United States Air Force as a pilot, academic instructor and commander for 27 years, six of which were spent as a prisoner of war. Even under the harshest of conditions as a POW, Col. Pollard built up the morale of his fellow detainees by teaching them the basics of engineering and mathematics.

Creativity on display as undergraduate students compete at Malott Innovation Awards

Professor Eric Nauman of the Purdue Neurotrauma Group takes to the gridiron to promote player safety. The group is making tremendous strides as they work to develop new methods to protect young athletes from brain trauma from concussive injuries.

Professor Arvind Raman is an innovator in the world of nanotechnology. His work on nanomechanics and atomic force microscopy, in a field typically dominated by physicists, shows the versatility and importance of mechanical engineering.