Latest cohort of Trailblazers in Engineering Fellows selected

The newest class of Trailblazers in Engineering (TBE) Fellows completed a three- and half-day workshop last month that helped prepare the group to secure positions as future engineering faculty. TBE is an initiative intended to increase the number and success of engineering faculty in the U.S., who, in turn, will blaze trails with new discoveries, innovations and social impact and serve as role models for the next generation of engineers.

The latest cohort, selected in May, included 35 PhD students and postdocs in various proficiencies of engineering or related disciplines at U.S. research universities representing 26 institutions. Fellows were chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements but also for their potential impact on broadening participation in engineering.

“We are thrilled to have a cohort of high-caliber TBE Fellows with outstanding academic records, boundless creativity and a pursuit of excellence in engineering,” said Luna Lu, associate dean of faculty in Purdue’s College of Engineering. “We believe their journey as trailblazers will continue to flourish, and we are excited to hear more of their successes in the future.”

The group participated in a professional development workshop July 22-25 on the West Lafayette campus, allowing fellows to network with leading engineering faculty, thought leaders, program managers at key federal funding agencies and engineering heads. They also participated in a poster session to pitch their research and teaching plans and received feedback to strengthen their job talks.

The workshop included keynote talks from Makola M. Abdullah, president of Virginia State University, and Rebecca W. Doerge, provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The fellows also had the opportunity to hear from leading agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Office of Naval Research and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering on how to secure early career research funding.

The Trailblazers in Engineering Workshop will be held next summer July 21-25 on the West Lafayette campus. The next application cycle occurs from January through February. Visit the website for details.