Emily Spreen doesn't have one of the most interesting roles in aerospace - she has two.

At NASA's Johnson Space Center, she's an engineer helping humans return to the moon. She also leads a team positioning the recovery forces that retrieve a crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the ocean.

More than 10,000 Purdue University graduates took their next giant leap during nine spring commencement ceremonies May 14-16 at Elliott Hall of Music. This marked the second consecutive year the university has surpassed 10,000 graduates during spring commencement.

Purdue University awarded honorary doctorates to two distinguished Boilermaker alumni in business and aerospace engineering during the Spring 2026 Commencement ceremonies May 14-16 at Elliott Hall of Music.

Abby Frank carried many honors home this year, in addition to her diploma. One of these is being one of just two Purdue students to receive the G.A. Ross Award.

The STO Excellence Award is the highest team honor granted by the international defense alliance.

At Purdue Engineering’s commencement this week, one family’s journey will culminate in a mother and daughter crossing the stage of Elliott Hall of Music together, each earning a master’s degree.

Purdue University’s cutting-edge initiatives and research with drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are combining with the latest artificial intelligence and autonomy to quickly turn ideas and imagination into attainable reality.