This Is Purdue

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Greatest Hits of 2023: Celebrating Purdue Research Solving the World's Toughest Challenges Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re celebrating Boilermakers who provide practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges.

Part 2 of our “Greatest Hits of 2023” shines a light on the incredible research advancements from Purdue Boilermakers as we reflect on all four of our 2023 Research Series episodes.

Listen as we highlight special moments from episodes with Purdue’s chief semiconductor officer Mark Lundstrom, food science professors Amanda Deering and Haley Oliver, associate professor of physics and astronomy and principal investigator of a program on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Danny Milisavljevic, and professor of anthropology Michele Buzon.

From semiconductors to food science to astronomy to bioarcheology, these researchers share more about the impact Purdue has had on their monumental developments in their respective fields.

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Greatest Hits of 2023: Celebrating Boilermaker Persistence Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re starting to ring in the new year with some of our most popular episodes from 2023.

Part 1 of our two-part “Greatest Hits of 2023” episode shines a light on the incredible stories and achievements of Boilermakers from across different disciplines.

Tune in as we share highlights from episodes featuring Purdue President Mung Chiang, fighter pilot Heather Penney, Pizza Hut U.S. President David Graves, Purdue deputy athletics director Tiffini Grimes, Team Penske IndyCar engineers Matt Kuebel and Mike Koenigs, and Purdue’s “Piano Man” Bruce Barker.

Celebrate the past year by listening to these Boilermakers who persistently pursue their next giant leaps. You don’t want to miss this one!

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Sangtae Kim on Leading the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering and the Importance of Purdue’s ‘Excellence at Scale’ Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Sangtae Kim, the Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head of Chemical Engineering and Distinguished Professor.

Sangtae dives into his family background — including what it was like growing up in a family of educators, his career at Eli Lilly and what brought him back to academia to lead Purdue University’s Davidson School of Chemical Engineering.

Listen as Sangtae discusses the significance of the growing number of women majoring in engineering and Purdue’s culture of solution-oriented students.

“Be part of the solution, not the problem, right?” Sangtae says. “It’s advice that I don’t have to give because that’s the nature of Purdue students and graduates.”

Plus, he shares what it means to him to be guiding and mentoring those walking in the same shoes he once did and his admiration for Purdue’s “excellence at scale.”

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Football Legend Leroy Keyes’ Wife, Monica, on Earning Her Master’s Degree at Purdue, Raising Their Family in the Boilermaker Community and Her Husband’s Legacy Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Monica Keyes, wife of the late Purdue icon and former Boilermaker football player and coach Leroy Keyes.

Turns out, the couple met in a church bowling league in Philadelphia, Monica’s hometown, when Leroy was an NFL player for the Eagles. Week after week they happened to keep showing up in the same-colored shirts.

“I was learning how to bowl … and he and I began to have little wagers,” Monica reflects. “You know, ‘I’ll bet you a Coke.’ And that’s how our relationship grew.”

Monica’s introduction to Purdue came from a sweatshirt Leroy was wearing one day.

“I’m like, ‘Purdue, what is that? Is it an Ivy League school?’”

Soon enough she would get to experience the Purdue community for herself. Leroy, who was a two-time All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate, took a job as a running backs coach with Purdue in 1995 under then-head football coach Jim Colletto.

At the time, Monica wouldn’t have guessed it. But soon enough, Purdue started to feel like home. By the early 2000s, Monica became a Boilermaker herself as she enrolled in a nurse practitioner master's program at Purdue.

Tune in to hear Monica share what it was like relocating to the Midwest, raising kids in the Boilermaker community and how Leroy’s legacy lives on.

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‘Piano Man’ Bruce Barker on His Purdue Experience, Playing in Front of Millions and Retirement Oct 26, 2023

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In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Purdue’s “Piano Man,” Bruce Barker.

Despite growing up in Lafayette, Bruce didn’t see himself attending Purdue. He wasn’t the best student while in school, and he didn’t peg himself as someone who would succeed in college.

But after high school, he struggled to find meaningful work without a college degree. On a whim, he applied to Purdue. Pretty soon, Bruce was auditioning for the Varsity Glee Club, teaching himself to play piano and reinventing himself as the person we’ve come to know and love for decades — Purdue’s “Piano Man.”

In Bruce’s nearly three decades on the stage, he has become a beloved fixture in the Boilermaker community, attracting thousands to his weekly shows and even inspiring alumni to return from as far away as Georgia, Colorado, Florida and Texas.

Tune in to discover how Bruce got his job at the Neon Cactus, his favorite memories from performing in front of millions, the story of the night he met his wife during a performance, what it meant to give back to Purdue during the pandemic — and why he’s decided to hang up the mic at the end of the 2023 fall semester.

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Former Purdue Quarterback Curtis Painter on Playing for Coach Tiller, His NFL Career and Returning Home to Indiana Oct 12, 2023

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In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to former Purdue football quarterback Curtis Painter.

After Curtis’ time at Purdue, he stayed right here at home in Indiana, playing three seasons for the Indianapolis Colts before the Baltimore Ravens signed him, then closing out his professional career with the New York Giants.

Listen in as host Kate Young talks with Curtis about his time at Purdue. He reflects on highlights including a 62-10 blowout against Indiana University in the final game of Joe Tiller’s storied career, as well as breaking Drew Brees’ 1998 record for passing yards in a single season. Curtis also shares some of the biggest moments from his NFL career, including how he felt playing alongside football greats Eli and Peyton Manning.

Curtis takes us behind the scenes, from running onto the field at Ross-Ade for the first time in front of 60,000 fans and what it meant to play for the legendary Joe Tiller, to memories of the Colts playing in Super Bowl XLIV in 2010, as well as his family’s legacy in Purdue Athletics.

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Dave and Donna Beering on Continuing Former Purdue President Dr. Steven Beering’s Legacy Sep 28, 2023

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In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Dave and Donna Beering, proud alumni and son and daughter-in-law of Dr. Steven C. Beering, former Purdue president.

If you’re a Boilermaker, you’ve likely heard the name "Beering” or possibly taken a class or two inside Beering Hall. But in this special interview, you’ll get to know the Beering family on a more personal level, including stories about Dr. Beering’s time as a physician in the Air Force and how Dave, then a Purdue student, found out his dad was named the next university president. Dave (BS electrical engineering ’85, MS electrical engineering ’87) reminisces about his dad telling him, “The name ‘Beering’ will appear on your diploma twice.”

Plus, Dave’s wife, Donna (BS aviation technology ’86), reflects on meeting Dave at the Purdue University Airport, performing as a Purduette through Purdue Musical Organizations, flying iconic Boilermakers like Gene Keady to games as an aviation student, and serving as a captain for United Airlines for more than 20 years.

You don’t want to miss this episode full of Boilermaker spirit and nostalgia!

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Purdue Research Series | A Look Into Bioarchaeology and the Ancient Nile River Valley With Michele Buzon Sep 14, 2023

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In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Michele Buzon, professor of anthropology in Purdue University’s College of Liberal Arts.

This marks the final episode in our 2023 Purdue Research Series, which shares how Purdue provides practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges.

As a bioarchaeologist, Michele’s examination of skeletal remains can help us better understand the lives of everyday people who lived thousands of years ago. She and her team conduct research along the banks of the Nile River Valley in Tombos, Sudan, exploring what life was like in ancient Nubia — and why that still matters today.

Although Michele’s work explores the past, collaboration with researchers like Dr. Randall Loder at IU Health is helping her better understand present-day medical conditions like CAM lesions, an injury on the femur that has been found in young athletes. Previously thought to be a modern issue exclusive to athletes, Michele discusses how she and Dr. Loder found evidence of its existence in the ancient communities she studies.

Hear how Michele’s work brings many different people and disciplines together as she and her team look to better understand the past, from relationship-building with the local community in Sudan to analyzing finds.

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Coach Ryan Walters and the New Era of Purdue Football Aug 30, 2023

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In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to our new Purdue University head football coach, Ryan Walters.

Listen as Coach Walters describes how he felt when he got the call from Purdue Athletics Director Mike Bobinski and what it’s like to join the ranks of legendary Purdue football coaches like Jack Mollenkopf and Joe Tiller – and as one of the youngest collegiate head coaches in the entire country, no less!

But first, Coach Walters takes us back to where it all began, growing up in a family of football fanatics and demonstrating the persistence and tenacity he’s shown throughout his career that continues today as his family embraces life as Boilermakers.

He also shares some of the lessons learned along the way, including the importance of relationship-building when it comes to recruiting players like Hudson Card. As Coach Walters tells us, “The grass is green when you fertilize and water it, so I’m pouring into this job and into this community.”

What should Purdue football fans be excited about this season? How will Coach Walters feel as the new Tiller Tunnel, named after the late Coach Tiller, opens to a packed Ross-Ade Stadium during the home opener vs. Fresno State on Sept. 2? Tune in and find out.

As we head into a new era of Purdue football, you don’t want to miss this episode as “This Is Purdue” gets to know Coach Walters!

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Purdue Research Series | A Look Into NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Boilermaker Ties to Space With Danny Milisavljevic Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Danny Milisavljevic, associate professor of physics and astronomy in Purdue University’s College of Science.

This marks the third episode in our Purdue Research Series, which shares how Purdue provides practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges.

Danny’s love of space dates back to his days as a crayon-wielding kid writing up an elementary school report on the solar system. Combined with his research in school library encyclopedias, the illustrations he created gave him a sense of being able to touch and understand these far-off planets.

Fast-forward to today, and Danny is using the most powerful telescopes on the planet to better understand the universe. His work, which has been featured on “60 Minutes” and other national outlets, includes leading an international research team to explore a remnant of a supernova explosion in the Milky Way, Cassiopeia A, with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

As much as Danny loves understanding this vast and complex universe we inhabit, he takes equal joy in sharing its wonders with students – whether it’s rare discoveries like a star-destroying black hole nicknamed “Scary Barbie” or just looking up at the moon on a clear night through a telescope in his backyard.

Buckle in, because this episode is taking you for a ride across the Milky Way – and Danny’s enthusiasm alone is enough to power the whole trip!

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