We are sad to report the passing of Monika Ivantysynova, Maha Named Professor in Fluid Power Systems for Mechanical Engineering and Agricultural and Biological Engineering.

AMAZING STATISTIC: Nearly half of America's freshwater is used to cool thermoelectric power plants. Yet another compelling reason to pursue renewable energy. PurdueME professor Luciano Castillo lays out the facts in this Scientific American article.

As matter-of-fact as possible, Karen Son tells me her field of study: "My job is to keep astronauts alive."

No pressure there.

Purdue's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program concluded August 3, where several mechanical engineering students won awards.

From room temperature beverages to ice-cold in 60 seconds! That's the goal of a device created by a Purdue ME senior design team, now patented and called ChillNado.

Steven Wereley helped to bring these optical "nanotweezers" to life, which that can better trap and detect biomolecules, viruses, and DNA.

Marcial Gonzalez spent his summer with community college students, conducting research in powder compaction, as a part of nanoHUB's URE (Undergraduate Research Experience).

Yung Shin has received the Research Award from Purdue Engineering, "for his pioneering and unrivaled efforts in the development and application of laser-based manufacturing and materials processing, leading to monumental improvements in productivity and significant reductions in costs."

What are the challenges to bringing electricity to African countries? Mark Fitzpatrick (BSME '72, MSME '73) recently returned to Purdue ME to describe how his engineering background led him to a career in power generation with AES Corporation, and then with new company Aldwych International, who solely focus on building electrical power plants in Africa.

If you put temperature sensors in certain parts of a jet engine, THEY WILL MELT. So how can you monitor their performance? At Zucrow Labs, Guillermo Paniagua's PETAL Lab have developed a sensor that will survive the high temps and pressures of rocket engines and gas turbines.