In the news

Purdue nanoelectronics researcher Gerhard Klimeck to receive Humbolt Research Award

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University electrical and computer engineering professor Gerhard Klimeck, whose work is opening research avenues for scientists the world over, will be presented Thursday (June 27) with the prestigious Humboldt Research Award at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Germany. Attending the ceremonies will be Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Autonomous diaper sensor better detects urinary tract infection

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Urinary tract infections are the second most common type of infection in children, with ear infections taking first place. Responsible for nearly 10 million doctor visits each year in the U.S., urinary tract infections can also be a major source of additional disease, particularly for elderly people.

Because there are no pharmacies in space

Research continues on an eventual 140-million-mile mission to Mars, developing the latest transportation as well as habitats necessary for the red planet. Alina Alexeenko, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics, is founding co-director of the Advanced Lyophilization Technology Hub and is researching the process, also called freeze drying, and its possible uses in space and pharmaceuticals. (Purdue University photo/Rebecca Wilcox) Download image “We know how to get to space, but that’s not the same as knowing how to survive there,” said Alexeenko, a Purdue professor in aeronautics and astronautics. “If we are to do a colony on Mars, we’re not going to send pills or a pharmaceutical factory. There won’t be a CVS on Mars.”

Millions with neurological diseases could find new option in neurostimulation devices

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The United States is seeing an increase in the number of neurological diseases. Stroke is ranked as the fifth leading cause of death, with Alzheimer’s being ranked sixth. Another neurological disease – Parkinson’s – affects nearly 1 million people in the U.S. each year.

Congratulation to Professor Joerg Appenzeller on his winning proposal for the Discovery park Big Idea Challenge 2.0

Following oral presentations on May 7, a panel of judges and Discovery Park administration have reviewed the proposals and determined the winners of the Big Idea Challenge 2.0, a program that will provide resources to interdisciplinary teams of Purdue faculty and students pursuing bold proposals that address global challenges. “A variety of excellent proposals were submitted,” says Sasha Boltasseva, inaugural Discovery Park fellow. “Each P.I. presented a thoughtful, comprehensive plan that addressed a pressing global issue that falls within a key focus area. Each proposal had merit and it was a very difficult task to select the winners.”

Laser technique could unlock use of tough material for next-generation electronics

In 2004, researchers discovered a super thin material that is at least a 100 times stronger than steel and the best known conductor of heat and electricity. This means that the material, graphene, could bring faster electronics than is possible today with silicon

Keeping it Fresh: Food packaging technology receives top honor

A large-scale manufacturing process to improve food packaging and keep groceries fresher longer has received top honors at one of the world’s largest technical conferences for the packaging industry.

Evgenii Narimanov, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, will receive the 2019 Arden L. Bement Jr. Award for significant accomplishments in pure and applied science and engineering.

Evgenii Narimanov, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, will receive the 2019 Arden L. Bement Jr. Award for significant accomplishments in pure and applied science and engineering. Narimanov, who is also a faculty member in Birck Nanotechnology Center in Purdue’s Discovery Park, is being honored for pioneering the concept of hyperbolic metamaterials in the field of nanophotonics. He will deliver the Arden L. Bement Jr. Distinguished Lecture at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 28 in Fowler Hall.

Keeping it clean: How diaper sensors can better detect urinary tract infections, reduce more severe diseases

Technology could help caregivers find infections earlier in infants, elderly WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A urinary tract infection can be painful at any age, with the burning sensations, frequent urges and pressure. It can be even worse and more dangerous for those who may not be able to communicate clearly what is happening to their bodies, such as the elderly and babies. Urinary tract infections are responsible for nearly 10 million doctor visits each year in the United States. They can also be a major source of additional disease, particularly for elderly people. Many current technologies to try to detect UTIs can be difficult to use and require a urine sample be processed, which can be inconvenient and slow in receiving results.

Building self-tests for the world’s most common infectious diseases – with paper

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — When an HIV outbreak hit Indiana's rural Scott County in 2015, the sparsely staffed health department was stretched to confirm cases among an entire community with lab tests that aren't portable and could take weeks to return results. This meant that it took over a year to confirm 235 HIV cases for the area. Even at-home tests for HIV currently require a person to wait a couple months after possible infection before testing themselves.