Eight graduates of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute at Purdue University will be recognized during two 2016 award ceremonies Friday, April 22, 2016.

Evan Underwood

Payoff: Emmy Award for his company, FuseFX

​Education: Bachelor's degree in computer graphics technology (CGT)

His efforts resulted in a 2015 Emmy Award for his company, FuseFX (founded by Purdue mechanical engineering alumnus Dave Altenau). The team won for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role for their work on “American Horror Story: Freak Show”. As the title may suggest, the computer graphics team created a gross mouth deformity for Twisty the Clown that had to be blended with film of the actor.

A group of Purdue University students have developed Socio, a social media application that revolutionizes the way people connect by introducing the “digital handshake.”

Two Purdue professional flight majors are being praised for their roles in helping Marion Municipal Airport become 2015 Indiana Airport of the Year.

Find out the future plans for 2015 electrical engineering technology graduate Jason Patel.

Terrance Harrell

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Payoff: Production supervisor/mechanical engineer for Allison Transmission in Indianapolis

Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology (MET)

Job duties: I will manage a team of operators and machines to mass-produce a new product line for Allison Transmission. I will be leading all fabrication cells and the assembly lines for the new product launch.

Find out the future plans for 2015 building construction management graduate Will Busse.

Tom Murray

Education: professional flight

Payoff: Murray was the first officer on all four legs of the chartered flight for Pope Francis’s tour of the United States in early October 2015. The assignment is the latest during a long career in the Air Force and at American Airlines. A decorated veteran of Desert Storm, he was a captain in the U.S. Air Force, where he was a C-141 Aircraft Commander. At American Airlines, he has been a captain on Boeing 727, 767, and 777 as well as the Airbus 300. He has also served as check airman and international standards coordinator on the Boeing 777 and Airbus 300.

Whether he is at a construction site or at the plant, Matt High works to keep Purdue up and running every day. High works at the Wade Utility Plant as a utilities mechanical engineer. The plant uses steam to generate electricity, heat and chilled water throughout campus.

Doctoral student Rachel Sitarz was named one of two winners in the inaugural Women in Security Awards, sponsored by Duo Security.

Sitarz is working toward her PhD in cyber forensics at Purdue University in the Department of Computer and Information Technology. She also works full-time for Purdue, analyzing the threats that are coming into their networks.

She was honored, in part, for her ability as a researcher to “produce results that have real-world implications.”