When containing a massive disaster like an oil spill, small microbes play a big role. Arezoo Ardekani, associate professor of mechanical engineering, has published research that describes the complex hydrodynamics of microorganisms at liquid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces, showing that microbes may flock to areas where surfactant has been applied.

Last year, Venezuela's political situation became so volatile, they put physical barricades at their border with Colombia to keep people from leaving. But what if they turned their border into an opportunity? According to professor Luciano Castillo, taking advantage of abundant wind and solar energy would create both economic and ecological stability in the region.

Ali Argon (BSME 1952), a world-leading expert in the mechanics of materials, has passed away.

Fifty years after graduating, Alan Kennedy (BSME '69) looks back on his career as a senior patent attorney at NASA, and how Purdue Engineering helped him get there.

Pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates for patients. Going back in time to observe how cells with key gene mutations interact would help researchers better understand how the cancer starts and identify it sooner. Prof. Bumsoo Han created an artificial pancreatic duct, where he can simulate a pancreatic cancer "time machine." His research has revealed that the disease is even more unpredictable than previously thought: Cancer cells promote each other’s invasiveness when they grow together.

At Purdue, Kat Frangos (BSME '14) helped to design a wheelchair with an integrated walker. Now she's in Scotland, working on her Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems. Read more about how Purdue helped Kat to develop those problem-solving skills.

Purdue University's Board of Trustees have ratified three distinguished faculty positions in Mechanical Engineering. Ajay Malshe is now the R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Karthik Ramani is now the Donald W. Feddersen Distinguished Professor in Mechanical Engineering. Yung Shin is now the Donald A. and Nancy G. Roach Distinguished Professor of Advanced Manufacturing. They also approved a posthumous degree for Trever Col, who died in November 2019.

Purdue University Mechanical Engineering now has a group on LinkedIn! We invite all alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, industry partners, donors, and friends of Purdue ME to join the group.

Euiwon Bae has developed a portable Bluetooth device that can detect E. coli in food samples, using a silicon photomultiplier to detect the pathogen's bioluminescent signature.

Like a tiger stalking its prey by smell, cells move by following chemical trails (a process called chemotaxis). Jong Hyun Choi, associate professor of mechanical engineering, has created synthetic cells that mimic these two behaviors: sensing a chemical, and then moving to follow it.