Purdue Puts It All Together

I had the privilege of meeting Martin C. Jischke, the President of Purdue University. Very impressive guy with a real vision of how higher education and economic development intersect. I learned from him how Purdue is supporting economic development in Indiana through a series of initiatives, including Discovery Park, a $100-million multidisciplinary research and entrepreneurial cluster now being built on the south edge of campus.

As the name suggests, Discovery Park’s prime focus will be to foster the Discovery portion of the University’s tripartite mission. Discovery is increasingly influenced by the convergence of technological advances in various academic disciplines. Discovery Park will capitalize on this trend by attracting faculty and financial support to conduct interdisciplinary research that spans multiple departments and is ambitious in scale and/or scientific impact. The Park will provide an organizational structure and stimulating, dynamic environment that enhances the identification, evaluation and implementation of emergent inter- and multidisciplinary research areas.

Purdue impresses me with it $1.0 billion plus endowment, its vision, commitment to innovation and willingness to respond to real community economic needs. This is a university that has advanced at a time when others have withered in the past decade. By most standards, Purdue is a world-class research institution, drawing students from 130 countries around the world.

To learn more, visit the Purdue website here.