 This is the display of our inaugural Purdue Engineering Fellow recipients. Each one of these students was nominated by our engineering faculty and staff because they stood out for their critical thinking, their problem solving, and their positive peer relations. Every student who obtains an undergraduate engineering degree is eligible for this award of $10,000, which can be used for whatever she or he wishes. We're ready now to announce our 2020-2021 recipients. I'm going to turn the announcements over to one of last year's recipients, who now works as a sales engineer at H3D in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mark Paola, a nuclear engineering grad. Thank you, Dean Lundstrom, for that introduction. I'm honored to announce this year's Purdue Engineering Fellows, and I'm going to announce the recipients in alphabetical order. Our first Purdue Engineering Fellow is Leonie Boudreau. Her major is biomedical engineering with minors in psychology, critical disabilities, and innovation and transformational change. She's originally from Quebec, Canada. Leonie Boudreau was a proud member of the Purdue women's basketball team. She's pursuing research in the Human Injury Research and Regenerative Technologies Lab. She's the co-founder of Wheel Rise, an annual event to raise awareness for Paralympic sports and empower lives through sports and inclusivity. Leonie also started a student organization called Rise, reinventing the interface of inclusivity, sports, and engineering to promote the growth of Wheel Rise after she graduates while empowering students to pursue other projects in sports engineering to improve sports performance and accessibility. She serves as the director of diversity and inclusion of the Student Athletes Advisory Committee, where she promotes inclusivity in sports and beyond and encourages student athletes to develop as leaders. She takes pride in promoting personal and career development to other students as the industrial relations chair of Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society, and as a mentor for students pursuing degrees in STEM. Some comments from Leonie's nominator. Leonie is a household name within BME, with faculty and staff all well aware of her incredible dedication, creativity, engineering and problem-solving skills, scholarship, and community-building presence. She's been a notable member of BME, the college, and university over the course of her undergraduate tenure. She ranks as the top student I've worked with out of over 600 students in the past six years. She doesn't make excuses even when warranted. Leonie, congratulations on being named a Purdue Engineering Fellow. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Bob and Joyce for making this award possible. Thank you to the College of Engineering and Dean Lundstrom. I am truly humbled and honored to receive such a meaningful recognition from a fellow board maker. It is an understatement to say how proud I am to be part of the Purdue Engineering community and learn from incredible leaders every single day. Together, we have the opportunity to make our world a better place by staying connected and rising together in front of challenges. At Purdue, I found my deep sense of purpose and for that, I want to thank my mentors, professors, classmates, friends, and fellow better makers who all shaped who I am today. This award will help me pursue my full potential and my career aspirations after graduation to hopefully make a direct impact in people's lives. I encourage every student to make the most out of their Purdue experience because when you're a board maker, the opportunities are endless. Our next recipient is Christine Acour. Her major is chemical engineering and she's originally from Hudson, Ohio. Since her freshman year, she's held an officer position on the National Society of Black Engineers, or NSBE Board. Currently as their president, she created the NSBE for Change Committee with the vision of seeing actionable change at Purdue University, specifically within the College of Engineering to ensure that black and minority engineering students receive the respect they deserve and support against microaggression, bigotry, and discrimination. The purpose of this committee is to work directly with the schools of engineering to guarantee that the demands they make are made within the academic year and remain long-term. In addition, she's also the vice president of the chemical engineering student ambassadors as well as a mentor and ambassador in minority engineering program recruitment events. Some notes from Christine's nominator. Christine approaches everything she does with integrity. She's not only an excellent student ambassador for Purdue Engineering, but she's also an exceptional student advocate. She has demonstrated incredible leadership and maturity through her work. Christine is not only spurring positive behavior in other engineering undergraduate students, but she's also promoting positive behavior and collaboration with our own engineering leadership and college dean's office. As administrators who work closely with graduate students and recruiting undergraduates from across the country, we can say that Christine's can-do attitude is unmatched and exceptional for an undergraduate going into their senior year. Christina, congratulations on being named a Purdue Engineering Fellow. Hi. I just wanted to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for receiving this award. It really means a lot. This year I was the NSB president. I've been doing a lot of work with the NSB for Change Committee and working with the Dean of Engineering, and that's been a great experience. I'm really looking forward to graduation and I'm hoping to work in either the food or consumer product industry, and I'm ready to start my adventure. Our next recipient is Zachary Marshall. His major is Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and Aerospace Financial Analysis, and he's originally from Orland Park, Illinois. Recently named a 2020 astronaut scholar, he possesses airline industry experience and data analysis, revenue management, network planning, and preventative maintenance with three major air carriers. On campus, Zachary currently serves as president of the Purdue Student Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has previously served on the board of directors of Purdue Student Government and is a member of Purdue Mortar Board, and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Societies. Zachary most appreciates Purdue's affinity for interdisciplinary learning and undergraduate research. He greatly enjoys conducting research at Purdue's Advanced Aviation Analytics Institute for Research, Center of Research Excellence. Upon graduation, Zachary aspires to work in aircraft systems design at a large aerospace and defense firm or government agency. Some comments from Zachary's nominator. Zach is an excellent team member, knowing when to step into different roles, or in the background, for the success of the team. When Zach participated in the 2019 and 2020 FAA, Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competitions, he was the only native English speaker on the team. Although he would have preferred to develop the code, he gave up his preferred job and wrote the project proposal report instead, since serving in this role would help this specific team better. Zach's 2020 team won their category competition, which Zach credits to their team playing to their strengths. Zach, congratulations on being named the College of Engineering Fellow. Thank you, Mark. My sincere appreciation to donors Robert and Joyce for their generosity and establishment of the Purdue Engineering Fellows Award. I would also like to thank the College of Engineering and the Dean for selecting me as a recipient from among the impressive talent that defines Purdue Engineering. I'm truly humbled and honored. To my professors, thank you for challenging me with your high expectations and for developing my critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities both inside research mentors and academic advisors. Thank you for supporting and enhancing my interdisciplinary studies. I'm grateful as well for my amazing AeroAster peers, inspire and elevate the learning experiences of those around them. This incredible award will empower me to pursue previously unattainable entrepreneurial endeavors. With this funding, I cannot dedicate greater focus to my passion for safe and sustainable flight. As I aspire to forge the future of aerospace innovation, I am forever grateful to be a part of Purdue Engineering and the Purdue Engineering Fellows Award. Thank you. Our next recipient is Emily Severson. Her major is industrial engineering with a minor in management and a certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation, and she's originally from Westfield, Indiana. Emily is currently the president of the Purdue Engineering Student Council, co-president of Purdue Engineering President's Council, vice president of Operations for STEM Power, a student consultant in Boilermaker Consulting Group, a peer counselor and the officer of future engineers, and a mentor in the women in engineering program. She recently led the Purdue Engineering Student Council to execute the allocation of scholarships to students who lost their internships due to the COVID-19 crisis and also led the group's decision for the industrial roundtable to become virtual so that students could still have the platform to obtain internships and employment after graduation. As VP of Operations for STEM Power, an organization that mentors Girl Scout troops through STEM through lessons and activities, she got creative when thinking of what she could offer to the girls on campus that they couldn't do in their meetings. The result was a multi-part event where the girls toured Bechtel Innovation and Design Center, they tried on welding equipment, they saw laser cutters and water jets, and they explained 3D printing and did a very fun science demonstration. Some comments from Emily's nominator. Emily balances academic performance in a very rigorous program with valuable work experiences and meaningful involvement in particular activities that she feels strongly about. She has the qualities and abilities to be a great and thoughtful leader. She uniquely analyzes situations and evaluates how to create better environments for students and faculty. Emily, congratulations on being named a Purdue Engineering Fellow. I would first like to start by thanking Bob and Joyce for creating this award. I would also like to thank the College of Engineering, Dean Lundstrom, and everyone who is part of the selection process. I am so, so grateful to have been selected and I would like to emphasize how much this award means to me. I have dedicated myself to both my academics and organizations I'm passionate about, all with the overall goal of becoming the first engineer in my family. As I look ahead to the conclusion of my senior year and the start of my professional career, I am thankful for the motivation and stability that this gift provides me. I am further encouraged to continue dedicating myself to what I am passionate about even after my time as a Purdue student comes to a close. My time as a boiler maker has been truly transformational and full of growth and I am excited to take that spirit with me into the future with the help of this award. Our final recipient is Matthew Vining. His major is Environmental and Necological Engineering and he's originally from Bourne, Texas. Matthew has been a student ambassador for the Society of Environmental and Necological Engineers, a technical team lead in Engineers Without Borders Purdue, a member of the Purdue Student Sustainability Council, a Director of Governmental Relations in Purdue Student Government and his acting is this year's President of MAES, Latinos in Science and Engineering. He's participated in two study abroad experiences in Sweden and Denmark and most recently New Zealand. Outside of classes, he works at the Office of Global Engineering Programs and Partnerships as an Ambassador Coordinator and Office Assistant. Matthew was interned for the U.S. Air Force Civilian Service as a civil and environmental engineering student trainee and as an undergraduate research assistant with the University of Canterbury focusing on efforts to use local waste sources as growth mediums and stormwater treatment devices on green roofs. Some comments from Matthew's nominator. Matthew is a collegial student who leads by example and is supportive of his teammates during challenging and stressful times when deadlines for projects are looming. He displays a level of comedy and dedication that makes him a wonderful teammate and role model for his peers. Matthew has extensive leadership experience in helping to coordinate and guide teams which are comprised of students with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Matthew, congratulations on being named a Purdue Engineering Fellow. I would just like to say thank you so much for Bob and Joyce for establishing this prestigious and generous award for Purdue Engineering students. The College of Engineering for supporting me in my academic and professional journey and the Dean, Mark Lundstrom, for selecting me as recipient this year. Having this award program at Purdue is a transformative experience for any engineering graduate. This opportunity enables border makers from all backgrounds to excel in their lives as they take the spirit of Purdue with them into the future. I'm very humbled and honored to have been selected as recipient this year. And with this award, my goal of attending graduate school to obtain a master's in environmental policy and management is much more feasible. Once again, thank you for this opportunity. And now I'll hand it back over to Dean Lundstrom. As you can see, we've had five outstanding students receive this honor this year. This award would not be possible without the generosity and thoughtfulness of our donors, Robert Buckman and Joyce Moellerup. Thank you for creating this award for our students. In the near future, we'll be updating this display with our new recipients. For our underclassmen watching, your photo can be here if you... can be a critical thinker, a problem solver, a mentor, an inspiration, and teammate. You can be all this and more. This can be you. Burn up!