Benjamin Vernhes is the recipient of the 2017 Herbert F. Rogers Award. The honor is given annually to a senior who is “deemed the most worthy and deserving as determined by her/his contributions to the growth of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in fostering engineering as an academic discipline.” The winner is selected by the School's Awards Committee along with two student members.

Vernhes earned his BSAAE on May 14, 2017. During his time as an undergraduate, he was involved in many co-curricular activities. Vernhes was co-director of Purdue Space Day in 2015, the 20^th anniversary of the annual outreach event for children in grades 3-8. As president of the Purdue Chapter of AIAA in 2016, Vernhes helped implement a new website for the organization, brought in 171 new members, and secured grants to support 4 student-led design team projects. He also served as an AAE Ambassador and was a member of the aero honor society, Sigma Gamma Tau, and Purdue SEDS, where he built and launched a level 1 fiberglass rocket.

Vernhes completed three internships - one with AirBus in Toulouse, France, and two with The Boeing Company in Renton, WA.

He says he is grateful for the rewarding opportunities provided to him by Purdue and is humbled by the award.

“When I think of the Purdue AAE department, I think of a big family of collaborative students and supportive staff,” says Vernhes. “I continue to be inspired by this school, the accomplishments of its alumni, and its rich history rooted in innovating the aerospace industry.”

Beginning this fall, Vernhes will be at SpaceX as an Associate Manufacturing Engineer - Post Grad intern, working with the Dragon Avionics group in Hawthorne, California.

top photo: Ben serving as MC of the 2016 Outstanding Aerospace Engineer awards banquet
middle photo: Ben with astronaut Buzz Aldrin, executive board members, and student volunteers at Purdue Space Day 2015
bottom photo: Ben as an intern at The Boeing Company in Renton, WA