This Is Purdue

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re featuring the first guest in our Purdue Research Series, Mark Lundstrom, Purdue University’s chief semiconductor officer.  We’re sharing how Purdue provides practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges in this new series.   As the United States strives to reclaim a leading role in the global semiconductor industry, Mark and other Boilermakers ar...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Tiffini Grimes (BA political science '05), Purdue University’s deputy athletics director and senior woman administrator.  This Boilermaker alumna highlights her journey in collegiate athletics as she made her way from law school to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) to working in the athletics departments for universities like...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Matt Kuebel and Mike Koenigs, Team Penske IndyCar engineers and Purdue University alums.   Listen as Matt (BS mechanical engineering ’22) and Mike (MS aeronautical and astronautical engineering ’03) discuss their Purdue College of Engineering journeys and what it’s like working for one of the most well-known, legendary teams in motorsports.   M...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” the podcast team is taking our listeners behind the scenes during the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research’s 15th annual Challenge 5K run/walk. More than 900 runners and walkers participated in this year’s Challenge, raising more than $100,000 for lifesaving cancer research.  As one of only seven National Cancer Institute-designated Basic Laboratory Cancer Cent...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re springing into football season with esteemed former Purdue football players Kevin Sumlin, Mark Herrmann and Pete Quinn, plus our new Purdue University head football coach, Ryan Walters.  We caught up with these four special guests at John Purdue Club’s annual Mollenkopf-Keyes Golf Classic during President’s Council Weekend in Naples, Florida.  Listen as K...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to twin sisters Almira “Sugar” Yllana (ChE '99) and Giovanna “Spice” Krozel (ChE '99).   Nicknamed by their maternal grandfather at birth, these two Purdue chemical engineering alums have taken the Boilermaker community by storm. From the Purdue for Life Foundation to the John Purdue Club to the Purdue Women’s Network Chicago Chapter, Sugar and Sp...

In this special episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to the president of Pizza Hut U.S., David Graves.  That’s right, the president of one of America’s largest pizza chains is a Boilermaker who graduated from Purdue University’s business school, newly named after President Emeritus Mitch Daniels.  Listen as David (BS management ’03) describes how Purdue prepared him with the persistence and...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re celebrating this historic Purdue men’s basketball season with Ginny Smith, freshman starting guard Braden Smith’s mom, and Gary and Lotus Furst, sophomore starting forward Caleb Furst’s parents.   Join us for this special kickoff-to-March Madness episode as Ginny, Gary and Lotus discuss when they first noticed their sons’ basketball talent, their favorite...

In this special episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Boilermaker and former D.C. Air National Guard fighter pilot Heather Penney.   Listen as Heather (BA English ’95, MA American studies ’97) shares her incredible story from 9/11, when she was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice with her flight lead, Marc Sasseville. She reflects on the events of that historic day, from being selected...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re sharing a new update from our conversation with Boilermaker innovator Philip Low. Professor Low, Purdue University’s Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, helped develop Cytalux, a fluorescent marker that allows cancer surgeons to quickly identify malignant cells and remove them during surger...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to successful entrepreneur Kendra Bracken-Ferguson (BA communication ‘02), founder and CEO of BrainTrust. Listen as Kendra describes the early days of social media, blogging and influencing, and how she used platforms like Myspace to transform top-tier global brands. You’ll hear about Kendra’s journey as Ralph Lauren’s first director of digital me...

In this special episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to the 13th president of Purdue University, Mung Chiang.  Listen in as President Chiang discusses the day he learned he would become president of what he calls “the most consequential public university in the U.S.” He also shares stories of Boilermaker persistence and humility and why the college experience should be both transformative an...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re celebrating even more popular episodes from 2022.  Part 2 of our “Greatest Hits of 2022” episode focuses on the academic side of Purdue University. Listen as these Boilermakers — from an IndyCar, Indy 500-winning engineer to a NASA flight director to a new Purdue Board of Trustees member — share their small steps and giant leaps.   You’ll hear from Purdue...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re ringing in the new year with some of our most popular episodes from 2022.   Part 1 of our two-part “Greatest Hits of 2022” episode focuses on the incredible Boilermaker athletics guests we’ve had on the podcast during the past year.  Listen in as we share highlights from episodes with women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds; the iconic Gene Keady; Purdue a...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to five members of the Purdue Global community as they celebrate the impact Purdue Global has had on their careers and lives.  The podcast team went behind the scenes at the Purdue Global Black and Gold Reception to hear from both alumni and faculty on why they chose Purdue Global and their advice to anyone considering furthering their education o...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to former Purdue University and NFL quarterback Kyle Orton. Listen as Kyle (BA history '14) discusses how former coach Joe Tiller and quarterback Drew Brees inspired him to choose Purdue, the anticipation and doubt he felt during the 2005 NFL draft, and how Purdue prepared him for life after football.  Plus, you don’t want to miss the story behind...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to chemistry teacher and TikTok superstar Phil Cook.  Listen as Phil (BS chemistry education '00, MS education '13) discusses his passion for education, his rise in Internet fame after just one TikTok video and why he believes Purdue is the best place for science and engineering.  Join the podcast team on a field trip to Culver Academies, where Ph...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to the new Purdue University Police Department (PUPD) Chief Lesley Wiete. Listen as Chief Wiete discusses her transition from attending Purdue as an undergraduate student to working for the PUPD for the past 23 years and her experience as a female leader in a male-dominated field like law enforcement. Hear more about Chief Wiete’s goals and what i...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Frank Dooley, chancellor of Purdue Global.   Purdue Global is Purdue’s accredited and affordable online solution designed for the working adult with life experience, and often some college credit – but no degree. Chancellor Dooley’s experiences have prepared him to lead Purdue Global and oversee academics for more than 36,000 students.   Listen...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Shawn Taylor (Management’82), a successful entrepreneur and the newest member of the Purdue University Board of Trustees.  Listen as Shawn describes his childhood growing up on the south side of Chicago, his experience as a first-generation college graduate and the impact Purdue’s very own Dr. Cornell A. Bell, the former director/chairman of th...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Dave Shondell, Purdue University’s Art and Connie Euler Women’s Volleyball Head Coach.  From growing up immersed in volleyball with his dad and brothers, to leading teams at the high school and collegiate levels, Coach Shondell shares more about his passion for the sport and how it feels to coach athletes like Olympic gold medalist Annie Drews....

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Boilermakers who are part of the Purdue Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) student organization.  Each year, Purdue students design and build custom race cars, then compete against hundreds of other universities from around the world, including teams from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and Germany, as part of SAE’s Colle...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Linda Mason, the dean of Purdue’s Graduate School.  Since Dean Mason took over in 2018, the Graduate School has experienced immense growth, including record-high numbers both in overall and international student enrollment.  Listen as Dean Mason discusses how she and her team increased support and opportunities for Boilermaker graduate students...

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Ronak Dave, a Purdue aeronautics and astronautics alum recently selected as a NASA flight director. Ronak will lead missions to the International Space Station and prepare for lunar missions for NASA’s Artemis program.  Why is this a particularly special giant leap? There have only been 108 NASA flight directors since Christopher C. Kraft Jr.,...

What’s it like to be a part of a winning Indianapolis 500 team? And even more, what’s it like to be the first woman IndyCar crew member to win this iconic race?  In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re getting an update from Purdue mechanical engineering alumna and IndyCar engineer Angela Ashmore. On May 29, 2022, Marcus Ericsson won the most famous race in motorsports in Chip Ganassi Racing’s...