Davidson School of Chemical Engineering alumna Kimberly Underhill (BSChE '87) has been named Group President Kimberly-Clark North America. In her new role, Underhill will lead Kimberly-Clark's nearly $8 billion North American consumer business, with trusted brands such as Huggies, Kleenex, Cottonelle, and Depend. Underhill is a 2016 Outstanding Chemical Engineer and received Distinguished Engineering Alumni in 2018.

Spiro Therapeutics, LLC, a start-up co-founded by ChE Professor You-Yeon Won; Kyle Kim, a recent PhD graduate; and Davis Arick, a graduating senior, will participate in the entry second round of the 2018 MassChallenge Boston, a commercialization accelerator active from June to October. The startup bypassed the first round of the competition due to a partnership between Purdue and MassChallenge that allowed the Burton D. Morgan Business Model Competition's Open Track and Social Entrepreneurship Track winners to move directly to the second round.

Purdue Chemical Engineering alumna Dr. Jennifer Sinclair Curtis (BSChE '83) has been awarded the 2018 Thomas and Donna Edgar CACHE Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering Education from ASEE, ChED, and CACHE. The award, presented by American Society for Engineering Education, recognizes her significant contributions in the development of computer aids for chemical engineering education.

Researchers led by Purdue Chemical Engineering associate professor Dr. Vilas Pol have discovered how to tackle plastic landfills while improving the lifespan of lithium-sulfur batteries. Their process, recently published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, shows that putting sulfur-soaked plastic in a microwave, including transparent plastic bags, transforms the material into the ideal substance for increasing the life span of the forthcoming batteries to more than 200 charging-discharging cycles.

Dr. Vilas Pol, associate professor in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, has been named a Purdue University Faculty Scholar beginning fall 2018. The appointment will continue for a five-year term through 2023, and includes annual support for research and academic programs.