Yuehwern Yih, director of the LASER PULSE Consortium, director of the Smart Systems and Operations Laboratory and professor of industrial engineering in the College of Engineering received the Faculty Engagement Award. Gary Burniske, assistant director for program development in International Programs in Agriculture received the Staff Comprehensive Award. Details of the winners are below.

Yuehwern Yih – Faculty Engagement Award
Yih’s leadership is evident through her work in multiple countries, including South Sudan and Ukraine. In Ukraine alone, her E+TRA system (Electronic TRAnsparent TRAcking system) helped 20,000 families and approximately 60,000 people in early 2023, ensuring that they received vital humanitarian aid. Jan P. Allebach, Purdue’s Hewlett-Packard Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said: “Dr. Yih strives to make a difference in people’s lives, especially those who need humanitarian relief (e.g., food, water, medicine, hygiene, shelter) due to natural disasters (e.g. earthquakes, drought, flood, pandemics), conflicts (e.g. war, violence, crime), or low resources,” exemplifying her leadership in international development efforts and global engagement on behalf of Purdue.

Gary Burniske – Staff Comprehensive Award
Throughout his time at Purdue, Burniske has served as academic director for the four Mandela Washington Fellows Leadership Institutes and co-authored several NSF-funded projects, exemplifying his comprehensive leadership in globalization on Purdue’s campus. In support of Burniske’s nomination, Gerald Shively, associate dean and director of International Programs in Agriculture, said Burniske’s “impacts truly have been comprehensive and impactful in all three of Purdue’s land-grant mission areas. Gary’s enthusiasm for global programs is infectious, and his positive ‘can-do’ attitude is often the essential element in developing the teams necessary to successfully compete for external grants and contracts. Every day, Gary Burniske is working to help globalize learning, discovery and engagement on Purdue’s campus.”