 I'd like to introduce Eckhart Grohl, the William and Florence Berry Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering and also Riley Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Eckhart, over to you. Great. Thank you very much, Arvin. Appreciate it. It's my pleasure now to introduce Marcial Gonzalez, who is a recent associate professor here in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue. Marcial joined us in 2014. He received his PhD and S degrees from Caltech. And then prior to being at Caltech, he received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Buenos Aires in 2002. Marcial is really a dedicated scholar and educator, as you will see, as you will hopefully present in his remarks. His research sits at the interface of virtual physical particulate engineering. And it focuses on developing predictive modeling, simulation and characterization techniques at and across different scales. To further the understanding of microstructure formation and evolution in confined particulate systems. His research has an emphasis in manufacturing processes and the relationship between product fabrication and performance. Communication areas of interest include a particular products and processes, continuous manufacturing, performance of pharmaceutical solid products, biomaterials and energetic materials. His research has been sponsored by a broad range of government agency, including AFOSR, NSF, FDA, DOED, AFRL, ORNR, and DOE. As I mentioned, broad spectrum of government agency, but also industry, including Bridgestone America's, Natalie Engineering, Whirlpool, and Procter & Gamble. And within Purdue is very active in the center for particular products, as well as the Purdue Energetics Research Center. But on top of all of this research, he is really has an exceptional teaching record. He has made great personal contribution and strong efforts to advancing the ME curriculum. In particular, he has developed our new instructional laboratory for our mechanics of materials course. On top of all of this has been very active in engaging our undergraduate students in research, right? We are independent research projects and serve programs. So I'm really looking forward to hearing Marcial's comments today and I will send it and please help me welcoming him for his remarks today. So Marcial, it's all yours. Thank you very much, Eckhart for the introduction and thank you for the invitation. And I have to say that when I was asked to reflect on my journey, I remembered immediately the summer of 2015, but at a time by Anil Bay-Jash, the head of the department, the person who hired me, asked me to present as part of the Global Engineering Professional seminar. And this was right six years ago. Actually, the logo was different, right? For the University logo. And this is how I framed that seminar as well, a journey of teaching, research, industry, and learning. So I'm using that as a platform for now presenting to you my journey that touches upon teaching experiences, research in connection with the industry, and recursive, I would say, need of learning and learning in new things. And this, the journey started right after high school when I was back in Argentina, and I actually became a high school teacher. So I graduated from high school and I was a high school teacher during the day and a college student during the night. And this was a really, really unique place. This high school was a technical high school. The high school where I also graduated and became a teacher. High school truly, truly committed to training the technicians of tomorrow. And at the time we were doing really cutting edge projects, infusing our students with entrepreneurial ideas, something that translated at the time, for example, in projects like this one. So depending on your age, maybe Attila's NASA and MIT robot sounds familiar to you, right? But we were building similar things at the time with the high school students. But at the time in 1995, 1996 was also the times where Internet arrived to Argentina and this was a, I was responsible with a number of high school students to really connected the entire high school to Internet. I'm pretty sure this was the first high school in Argentina that had every single a computer connected to Internet, but also engage with these exceptional high school students in projects that today they're all seen as the first Internet entrepreneurial projects, right? These students, many of them went to college, but many stayed as the first entrepreneurial people in Argentina truly dedicated to Internet and IT. So when we established this connection, not even the search engines that we have today were available. I remember having to open like a phone book to find the address of MIT and can take the two places that I connected first when I established that connection. It was very, very happening times and really a good experience for me to realize that is really, really rewarding to work with exceptional people and that's something that I worked hard to recreate during my career to work with exceptional colleagues to work with exceptional mentees to work with exceptional students. When I was about to graduate from college and I pursue the University of Buenos Aires, as Erkar mentioned, a degree in mechanical engineering. I transitioned to the industry and worked there, finished my degree, working already as a research engineer in an industry, spent two years in this place, completing my undergrad thesis, working full time in really at the time doing computational solving mechanics of manufacturing processes, the type of things that I do these days as well. And in particular also continuous manufacturing. So at the time where I was modeling continuous manufacturing, continuous casting processes, and just to give an idea, I think you can realize the temperature of these parts, but to give you an idea of the size right there you have a person. So to me was fascinated to, to be part of this to do research to the computational modeling it to do as really assist manufacturing and have a direct impact. I work not only on continuous manufacturing but also a model last furnace processes, again, just to give you an idea of the size of this, this is a person and this opening is this opening right here. So very very impressive things that really kept me motivated and and doing high level work for for a good number of years. But then I realized at some point that that was the only place in Argentina and even though it offered me the opportunity to travel the world and deploy these these models to factory say in Venezuela and Italy right. That was the only place in Argentina where I could do that. So in order to sort of expand my possibilities and always stay committed to the idea of being able to choose what to do and what to do it I decided to come here to the states and I did that in the context of pursuing graduate studies and I went to to Caltech. Again, a beautiful and exceptional place where I further my sort of training in computational solid mechanics I also did a minor in material science, and I truly truly go to understand what was the life of faculty in a research university here in the US something that doesn't exist in Argentina I was working with the academics that had a full time position in the industry and who was director of the at this center I was working with a person that was trained here in the US. But this idea of having full time professor doing research and teaching is not necessarily the case in Argentina to for me that this was a great experience. I believe I took classes in these two lecture rooms so so I felt really surrounded and by exceptional people and committed to this idea of continue to do research throughout my career but the possibility of combining a teaching and research became clearly a good option. I still had in mind of maybe going back to the industry but once again when I graduated in 2010. I had a chance to choose among different opportunities I decided to go to a Rutgers University New Jersey to pursue a postdoc and expose myself to once again something new something that forced me to learn a new concept for material science but also connected me back to to the industry and this was in in the context of a large very very active very successful ERC center. That involved Rutgers University for University and JT and University of Puerto Rico, I got to understand the relationship between academia and the industry here in the States how that can be done at a high level, the center was funded in recognition of a national need to retain pharmaceutical manufacturing in this country otherwise after some patents expiring manufacturing will it would have been transferred to other countries and that would have been really an issue of national security and the NSF and the federal government recognize that in the early 2000s and in, in, I believe, 2008, the ERC was was funded a great experience for me an opportunity to like I said to to learn a totally different industry I was never exposed to the pharmaceutical industry you may think how a mechanical engineering can contribute to that industry and it was really a good opportunity for me to contribute with a different background, computational modeling, solid materials, but also be exposed at that point I was well trained in solid materials, fluid materials or fluids and gases. And I was exposed for the first time to the fundamentals of granular materials, and they're really marked my career from that point onwards. A understanding a ground materials is something that they still oppose is a good number of open questions, and it's extremely relevant to the industry. So that allowed me to transition in 2014 to here in Indiana to do. And at the time when I show this up to this point, these are things that I have shared again in 2015 without our undergrads here in the context of the seminar, and I told the students that if you take a look at this journey right, probably you can see the do P. Right. I said it was only fitting right to eventually be here at Purdue, but the students did not find maybe the shape that truly resembling the P. So points in this or not three months later I married my wife in Mexico, and I think now we're doing a better job at resembling this P. But what really happened is that here I could do when I joined here in 2014. All these pieces that I was referring to came together. And I realized my vision moving forward of really staying focused on granular systems. And I understood that these lower materials are the second most manipulated material in the industry, only after water. And I also recognize that even from a fundamental standpoint, since these materials are not well understood and so much use in the industry. What happened at the end is that most processes and even the performance of these products are always tailored and refined by trial and error. They always operate below design conditions. And there was a permanent need from the industry, all the industries and new industries to learn how to deal with these granular materials in a more effective and more predictable way. In particular, I focus initially on granular systems at high levels of confinement, like those that they would happen during compaction processes. And this is a synthesis process, a manufacturing step using many, many industries from the metallurgical industry to the plastic industry to the ceramic industry, food energy and of course the pharmaceutical industry that was my first step into these type of problems. But it also is related to a higher level more broad question of how amorphous solids support stress. And this had impact, not only in the pharmaceutical industry but also the entity that regulates the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA. And if you think about it, many other material systems of great relevance are comprised of particles or particle binder composites. And this was the case of energetic materials, for example, and that's why we have some complementary agencies here, not only the pharmaceutical industry but also the defense industry with a direct need of this type of understanding. My work went from, like I said, understanding processing and performance of pharmaceutical products, right, from a fundamental standpoint but also deep establishing manufacturing continuous round routes for these products. And here I could do we have one of the two continuous manufacturing lines in academia in the country. This, this has been a great experience to be part of a large team of people that contribute to the development of this and of course, as the industry started to adopt this continuous manufacturing ideas, the entity that regulates the industry had to be on board and therefore, we were funded over the last years on large FDA projects that aim at developing the regulatory science needed to establish in and approving products made using continuous manufacturing. And also, this, this type of a fundamental understanding, open me the opportunity to deal and contribute to the defense industry and the propulsion industry in the context of energetic materials, and this energy the materials, the, the energy system itself are energetic crystals right, and they are surrounded by a binder that provides a, not only a connection between these crystals but also protects them from unexpected or unintended external insults. So, so the all the challenges posed by ground materials became a relevant to answering and contributing to the to this field. And then I also explore a handling and transport of these, these ground materials in the context of powders and biomass. And this really. So, so it was only possible only possible through really collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts. That's that was the main reason for me, john in Purdue, I realized when when I came here that that was in the spirit of this university. And I was able to be part of that in the context of two programming teams that I mentioned, right, the CP three center and the Perk Center here. I work with exceptional students that was also my initial realization surround me by exceptional people grad students and undergrad and also this created a platform for a also sort of establishing a connection with those that have a non traditional career path and maybe I can label myself that way. So person that had a non traditional career path. It was created and took an opportunity to partner with the network of computation and technology to bring here on campus community college students during the summer. Have them work side by side with our best surf students and offer them a platform to transition well to a four year university. So all of these seven students, four of them now are applying to graduate school, some of them are being accepted already for so for me establishing this a career path for those that have chosen a non traditional career path these are students that work and study simultaneously, working in the day and studying the night and establishing opportunities for them to transition to a four year university and a grad school that became extremely rewarding to me and experience that I plan to continue after we go back to a more normal normal operations here on campus. And with that said, thank you for your attention and I know that this is been recorded and I have a number of people connected here. So let me also say that to to current and future undergrad students grad students colleagues. You are invited to join my journey. Thank you. Thank you very much. Wonderful remarks. I greatly appreciate it. I love your, your international journey. And, of course, I had quite a few international stops myself. I can kick off the discussion here by asking you. How do you how do these global experiences that that you had influence your decision making, maybe even like your, your career decision making right as you as you move, move along and you maybe as you set yourself non traditional career. Yeah, I think exposing you to different cultures different people different ways of thinking teaches you a lot. So so I try to mention what I learned from these experiences. I go to understand what was the job of a professor here in the US working in in in academia right and doing research. I understood what was working in the industry back in Argentina but through the my ERC center also understood how a working with the industry here in the States is and the differences between that I think it's really a learning experience that's why I have learning here as my last item in my journey right learning and learning is not only on the technical side but learning about cultures and people. I think that's part of the growth and the decision making I think the more one understands the more options one creates for a themselves for himself or herself a the better the choices one can make and that has been my my effort. Yeah. There's a comment in the chat box. Nathan waltz commented that he had you as a professor for me 323 the right strength of material. And and enjoyed your enthusiasm presentations and kindness as was your encouragement of students asking questions even in the big lecture hall. Thank you. Yeah, happy to hear that. Thank you. Any questions for myself. Anybody else who would like to ask him a question. You can unmute or put something in the chat box. Hi myself this is some moan and sorry I couldn't join earlier part. I look forward to watching the video to get Stanley is part and early part of your talk. Congratulations and you know I'm wondering what would you advise Purdue Engineering College to better even better support those who follow a unique career trajectory, whether that involves international stops or other types of career destinations before arriving here. Yeah, you know, that's a good question. And the first thing that comes to my mind right when you when you follow a non traditional path. You spend time doing that right so so I think the university needs to recognize that the time of arrival at a given gate to be very different depending on the things that you did in the past right. And that has different consequences on a personal life right but also professional lives. And then typically I would say that in the same way that every strike path a prepares excellent scholars and teachers. And a non traditional path also does that right so so I think acknowledging that the time of arrival could be quite different and accommodating for that I think it's important. And you know, maybe this is not a time to be too political but a number of you know a federal fellowships impose some constraints on age right. And that's something that I understand why it's there right it is a very clear purpose for that, but for those who follow a non traditional path. Sometimes they are excluded. Right. And understanding that I think it would be important in terms of providing. And I would say Purdue that's a good job I think that the opportunities provided to traditional non traditional pastor are equivalent to a well taken and well thought. Okay, well, thank you for that encouragement. We here at Purdue Engineering welcomes and supports all types of trajectories for our talents. So thanks again, enjoy your talk very much. Hi, this is Amy readman. I had a question I find your outreach to the community college students really impressive and I was wondering if you had any insights how that could be expanded into other areas how you might grow it beyond just Yeah, I have explored that so there there are many many pieces to this puzzle right that they need to be in place so so definitely you need. So let me share more details of this so these things are coming from two different community colleges, but mostly from one the Pasadena City College, and there is one student here who is coming from Ivy Tech. So you need you need to create create or have available a connection that of course these community colleges, and it has to be a mechanism for the students to already be exposed to some research before jumping into a say an opportunity here at Purdue. So the network of computational nanotechnology has done a terrific job at establishing these connections. And of course they need us to keep these connections alive and active right then and create this a flux of students. But yeah you need you need to this early stages of research experiences, selecting from those the students that have potential and interest for transferring to a foreign university, providing them a platform here or somewhere else in the country right, where they can recognize first that they can work side by side with what they are labeled as the best undergrads in the country doing research second have an experience to to even spend time outside their own their own state. Many of these students have never went out of states for any any activity other than maybe vacations right so that's a that's something that they recognize as well. They also recognize that they can do research or study full time as opposed to balance work and research. That was that was also a thing to me when I went to grad school. I, I felt that I was doing just one thing. So, so those are good experiences for for for these students and and they did sort of you generate momentum for them they will transfer right away you have to find the right time into the for university. And then when they are there they will be able to jump into the research again and sort of getting that more traditional track and have motivation to go to grad school or continue in the industry that's up to them. But that that was a way to do it. You need contacts in this community colleges definitely. Thanks. It's really, really impressive. Thanks. Professor thank you for that great presentation today I was wondering I really appreciate what my professors have industry experience and it's really nice to know I will I have professor Marcel right now for 323. What do you think the most important takeaway you had from industry that we don't actually learn enough during our undergraduate years. Good question. And I think perhaps the idea that let's put it this way right so when you're working in the industry you have real, real problems right, they are not idealized right in the context of a homework or a project where you have a well defined boundaries you know that to what you learn in the in the class it will apply directly to solving that problem right. So when you when you're in the industry first you need to be able to create that ideal scenario rights that you can tackle with with the tools that you have, but also recognize that maybe there are gaps in your knowledge, and you will have to reach out probably to your colleagues if you're in the industry. It would be a better move than going back to the books, but I think that's maybe what we are not always offering. Maybe we offer that only the context of some projects. But it could be done, even though in the context of the more traditional classes I think, but we also need to recognize that here on campus, we have a limited time right to offer a good experience but also a lot of information so how to balance those two things is challenging but I would say that that was something that is something that we could do better. Yeah, thank you Marcus for connecting. Perfect, thank you, congratulations. Thank you. Any other questions for myself interesting discussion I really like the guy where they were they're taking you with these comments. Okay, if not then myself thank you very much. I appreciate your presentation. Yeah, your comments to answer all the various questions and certainly enjoy working with you and me has been a great pass and looking forward to what comes next for you. Same here. Thank you. Thank you everyone. Thanks.