Research at Purdue 

Purdue’s thriving culture of innovation dates to its earliest days 

As a land-grant institution, Purdue University was created in part to conduct research that improves the lives of people in Indiana and beyond. Whether feeding the hungry, healing the sick or introducing the next great technological innovation, researchers remain persistent in their pursuit of knowledge that will change the future. 

Discover why we’re one of the world’s top-ranked research facilities and learn about life-changing breakthroughs. 

Top 10
Most Innovative School in the U.S. Six Years Running U.S. News & World Report, 2024
$613M
Secured in Research Funding
#5
in the U.S. for Patents U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 2023

Purdue scientist reflects on her passion for studying Mars’ geology, landscape

Briony Horgan grew up in Portland, Oregon, where, enjoying the mountains and volcanoes that surrounded the region, she developed a love of geology. A long-standing interest in space made Horgan realize she wasn’t confined to study rocks simply on Earth.

Learn More

The whitest paint is here – and it’s the coolest. Literally.

In an effort to curb global warming, Purdue University engineers have created the whitest paint yet. Coating buildings with this paint may one day cool them off enough to reduce the need for air conditioning, the researchers say.

Learn More
Engineering professor Andrew Whelton contributes to recovery efforts at communities impacted by wildfires like Maui, Hawaii.

Purdue professor ‘brings the world’ to help after Maui, Hawaii, wildfires

The sense of purpose that initially inspired Andrew Whelton still pushes him to help at disaster sites today.

Learn More
Watch Video

Imaging agent illuminates
lung cancer tumors

Surgery, especially surgery to remove cancerous tumors, relies on a range of tools and techniques, as well as on the skill of the surgeon. Now, new imaging agent Cytalux will make surgery to remove lung cancer tumors a little more exact.

Watch Video

The Podcast Ep 85: Purdue Research Series | A Look Into Semiconductors With Mark Lundstrom

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.

Purdue has developed a culture where discovery is the first step, not the final destination. Industry partners and entrepreneurs are aware of Purdue resources to bring innovations to the marketplace.

Mung Chiang

President, Purdue University

Research is about innovation. It’s the innovation engine that drives the country. That’s why it’s important. It is the thing that continues to give the U.S. a competitive advantage as a country, because we’re the ones on the leading edge making new discoveries that make a difference across the world.

Karen Plaut

Executive Vice President for Research, Purdue University

This MOU (memorandum of understanding) signed with Purdue University holds great significance for imec. It provides us with a unique opportunity to act as a major catalyst of worldwide semiconductor R&D in collaboration with a world-class American research university. This collaboration between these two R&D powerhouses from the U.S. and Europe underscores my strong conviction that international collaboration in semiconductor research and development is imperative for expediting progress by building on our strengths and innovating faster together.

Luc Van den hove

President and CEO, imec

Universities aren’t just places that present new knowledge; they’re places that create new knowledge, and students are essential to that. One of the things you see here at Purdue is that students at all levels — PhD, graduate and undergraduate students — are involved in research directly and will be involved directly in the activities at HARF (Purdue’s Hypersonics and Applied Research Facility).

Mark Lewis

CEO, Purdue Applied Research Institute

Read about the latest research breakthroughs from Purdue.

Related Stories

No results found!

Purdue professor Steven Collicott poses for a photo at Purdue’s Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering

article | Research

Steven Collicott’s Purdue 1 challenge: Don’t look out the window

Steven Collicott’s goal on the Purdue 1 flight is to “justify the presence of the person.”

Learn More
Andrew Kinder wears a Hammer Down Cancer T-shirt and cheers from the crowd at Mackey Arena.

article | Research

Personal experiences with cancer drive Purdue’s research strides

Tyler Trent’s story still touches the lives of so many.

Learn More
Two-year-old Callie Cochran is cradled in her dad’s arms, who’s standing next to her mom.

article | Research

Helping a toddler hear for the first time

Callie Cochran’s world was mostly quiet for the first two years of her life.

Learn More
Three men and one woman standing in a field wearing Purdue and Beck’s gear.

article | Research

Purdue and Beck’s are reimagining the future of farming

Say the word “agriculture” and most people think fields and farmers, crops and plows.

Learn More

podcast | Research

Podcast Ep. 129: Purdue President Mung Chiang Talks Pharma Innovation and AI at Fast Company Panel During SXSW

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re featuring the live Brands That Matter panel spotlighted at the Fast Company Grill during the annual SXSW Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas.  Purdue President Mung Chiang took the stage as a…
Learn More

podcast | Research

Podcast Ep. 128: How Purdue is Using AI for Good — Computer Science Professor Alex Psomas Explains

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Alex Psomas, assistant professor of computer science in Purdue University’s College of Science. Alex is an expert in machine learning and artificial intelligence. He utilizes these tools to help solve…
Learn More

podcast | Research

Podcast Ep. 125: Purdue Professors Brandon Boor and Nusrat Jung on Their Groundbreaking Indoor Air Quality Research in First-of-Its-Kind Tiny House Lab

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Brandon Boor, the Dr. Margery E. Hoffman Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, and Nusrat Jung, assistant professor of civil engineering.  What’s in the air we breathe indoors? That’s what Brandon…
Learn More
A group of Purdue students and researchers.

article | Research

This is where: Purdue and Rolls-Royce safeguard our future

Purdue and Rolls-Royce are leading the world in what’s next for aerospace research.

Learn More
Eight men and one woman standing in the open door of a large lab with a semi-trailer in the background.

article | Research

This is where: Purdue and Wabash are driving the future of clean energy

Partnership sparks game changer for sustainability — an energy recapturing trailer.

Learn More
Purdue researchers and students in lab gear in a lab.

article | Research

This is where: Purdue and Lilly are partnering on a shared mission to improve lives worldwide

History has shown that when Purdue and Lilly join forces, lives are transformed.

Learn More

podcast | Research

Podcast Ep. 121: Purdue Research Series | A Look Into Innovative and Collaborative Boilermaker Research With Karen Plaut 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Karen Plaut, Purdue University’s executive vice president for research.  Karen oversees Purdue’s expanding $600 million research enterprise, and under her leadership, researchers from across the university are working together to…
Learn More
A professor points at a test tube in his hand while a student holding a clipboard looks on.

article | Research

Babak Anasori accelerates innovation, hands-on learning for students in nanomaterials

Babak Anasori works closely with students in his Purdue labs, designing novel nanomaterials

Learn More