EAPS Alumni
Alumni in the News
Pluto May Have Captured Its Biggest Moon After an Ancient Dance and Kiss
The New York Times — Some 4.5 billion years ago, the dwarf planet Pluto was suddenly joined by a companion, which resulted in Pluto and its quintet of moons orbiting the sun together today. A former Purdue PhD, Adeene Denton, weighs in about how this is comparable to Earth and its moon. (Subscription required)
Debjani Singh: Channeling a river of data for clean energy, sustainability
Like the hundreds of rivers and streams she and her team have rendered in exquisite detail, Debjani Singh’s career has taken some twists and turns. Singh is a senior scientist at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory with expertise in water resources, data science and earth science, a combination that makes her uniquely suited to lead the HydroSource project, where she applies data science to solve complex water resource management issues. Singh’s goal is to bridge the gap between the world of research and practical application by giving the data life beyond the traditional confines of scientific inquiry.
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest shows the hilarious side of engineering
The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest comes back to Purdue with a bang in 2025! This contest, designing a machine to perform a simple task in the most convoluted and entertaining way, brings together engineers and artists to create the most whimsical contraptions. “I first heard about Purdue because I saw their Rube Goldberg machine on TV,” said Zach Umperovitch, the National Contest Director for Rube Goldberg, and a Purdue College of Science (EAPS) alum. “I couldn’t believe there were people who were actually doing this! I sought out that team, and within a year I was running the team. A year later we had a national title, and within two years, we had two Guinness World Records.”
Ipieca appoints ExxonMobil’s Paul Krishna as new Chair
Ipieca has appointed ExxonMobil’s Paul Krishna as its new Chair. Paul has been an active member of Ipieca since 2009. Prior to his appointment as Chair, Paul was Ipieca’s Vice Chair for two years and has previously served as Chair of Ipieca’s Reporting Working Group. He takes over the position of Chair following the retirement of Equinor’s Morten Mikkelsen.
6 questions with NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, who will be at IMS for the total eclipse
WRTV — As a child, Andrew Feustel never really dreamed of becoming an astronaut. But somehow, he knew, deep in his heart, that he would one day travel to outer space. "When I was growing up," Feustel said, "I just somehow believed that I would have an opportunity to eventually to work in the Human Spaceflight program. "He put in the work, investing years into making himself a NASA candidate. He exercised, honed his mechanical skills and got an education, earning two degrees from Purdue University along the way.
Boilermakers explore ‘Mars’ on Earth
The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), located near Hanksville, Utah, has served as Mars on Earth for Purdue researchers since the first all-Boilermaker mission launched in 2017. "It’s a unique opportunity, especially for students who study habitats in extreme environments or in human space exploration,” says Purdue EAPS alumna Adriana Brown (BS environmental geoscience, ’22), commander of MDRS Crew 289.
Clear Skies Ahead: Conversations about Careers in Meteorology and Beyond
The American Meteorological Society's Clear Skies Ahead Podcast talks to Allison LaFleur, Purdue EAPS alumna, about the importance of data analysis and data science in consulting work, applying meteorological knowledge to solve environmental issues, and the advantages of working remotely.
Dr. Martin Doyle awarded Distinguished Science Alumni by Purdue University
On April 18, 2023, the Purdue University College of Science awarded the the Distinguished Science Alumni Award to Dr. Martin Doyle. (PhD ’02 EAPS). He is a professor at Duke University focused on water science and policy. In addition to hundreds of scientific publications, he has written several books, including The Source, a history of America’s rivers named by Amazon as a top-10 history book of 2018. He has been selected as a Kavli Fellow for the Frontiers of Science by the National Academy of Sciences, a Guggenheim Fellow for his work in history and social sciences, and a Walton Family Fellow for his contributions to water sustainability in the US. Beyond academia, Doyle has served in the Department of Interior, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and beginning in May, will be the Senior Water Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army.
Meteorologist Maci Tetrick has been named part of the 2023 Michiana 40 Under 40 class
ABC57 Meteorologist Maci Tetrick, Purdue EAPS alumna, has been named part of the 2023 Michiana 40 Under 40 class. The 40 Under 40 award celebrates 40 of Michiana's young leaders who demonstrate career success and a commitment to the community.
Purdue alum's TV show features Rube Goldberg machines
Zach Umperovitch, a 2011 Purdue alumnus, recently debuted "Crazy Contraptions," a competition show that focuses on the fun and intricate engineering involved in Rube Goldberg machines. He received his Purdue bachelor's degree in geology and geophysics in 2011 and his master's degree in 2014.
Dr. Bin Wang awarded Distinguished Science Alumni by Purdue University
On April 8, 2022, The Purdue University College of Science Awarded Dr. Bin Wang the Distinguished Science Alumni Wang is an alumnus of Purdue Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) and earned his Ph.D. in 1993 in Earth Science. Bin is currently the Director of R&D at TGS. The Distinguished Science Alumni Award is given to someone who provides significant leadership within her or his chosen field. The honoree has noteworthy professional accomplishments that reflect favorably on her or his profession, College of Science, Purdue University and society.
Q&A with Aaron Goldner: From climate researcher to senior policy advisor
On Capitol Hill, the day-to-day business of government works because of smart, hardworking people with a passion for public service—people like Purdue alumnus, Dr. Aaron Goldner. Back in 2013 you could find Goldner at one of West Lafayette’s coffee houses, chugging through lines of code. His graduate research focused on understanding what forcings (e.g., carbon dioxide, the Antarctic Ice Sheet, the El Niño Southern Oscillation) were critical in altering past climates and whether the scale of these forcing could be quantified to better predict future climate change. After earning his PhD from Purdue’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences that summer, Goldner headed to Washington, DC as an AGU-AAAS Congressional Science Fellow working in the Senate and at the Department of Energy, and he's been there ever since. He is currently senior advisor on energy and transportation policy in the Office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. PCCRC's Rose Filley caught up with Goldner to talk about his work on the Hill.
Dr. Feustel returns to Earth from International Space Station
NASA astronaut and EAPS alumnus Andrew Feustel returned to Earth in October 2018 after serving on two consecutive NASA expeditions. He was most recently Commander of Expedition 56. You can watch the return from space in a video on YouTube.
Hurrell’s research centers on analyses and model simulations of climate, climate variability and climate change. In his position as Walter Scott, Jr. Presidential Chair, Hurrell will continue his fundamental research on climate dynamics and develop collaborations across campus to examine climate impacts on a range of human and natural systems.
“Climate variability and climate change pose risks to many sectors, including agriculture, water, human health, infrastructure, national security, transportation, energy, forests and ecosystems,” said Hurrell. “I am eager to collaborate with CSU researchers working in these areas.”