This Is Purdue

Purdue University

This Is Purdue, the official podcast for Purdue University, highlights stories about Boilermakers from across all disciplines, who through research, innovation and determination, have persistently pursued their next giant leap. Hosted by Purdue University alum, Brian Lamb School of Communication graduate, and Indiana native Kate Young, This is Purdue aims to examine all of the incredible accomplishments of Boilermakers and their contributions to the world. Join us every other Thursday as we interview students, faculty, and alumni taking small steps toward their giant leaps, and inspiring others to do the same. read less
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Episodes

March Madness: Carolyn Peck, Stephanie White and Ukari Figgs Reflect on the 25th Anniversary of Purdue Winning the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship
Mar 7 2024
March Madness: Carolyn Peck, Stephanie White and Ukari Figgs Reflect on the 25th Anniversary of Purdue Winning the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to former head coach Carolyn Peck and co-captains Stephanie White and Ukari Figgs as they reflect on the Purdue women’s basketball team’s 1999 NCAA National Championship.   Celebrate the 25th anniversary of this legendary win and listen as Coach Peck, Stephanie and Ukari share more about this historic season and the real story behind what happened when they arrived in San Jose for the Final Four of March Madness.  From starting the season beating No. 1-ranked Tennessee and selling out Mackey Arena for the first time ever to finally hoisting the championship trophy and cutting down the net after beating Duke in that championship game, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories from these three women who experienced it all. And you certainly don’t want to miss Ukari’s story about taking a mechanical engineering exam during the Final Four.  Plus, Stephanie, head coach of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, and Ukari, a mechanical engineer at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, discuss balancing Purdue’s academics while fighting for a national championship. They also share how Purdue helped set them up for success within the WNBA and, later, their careers outside of playing professional basketball. The friendship, commitment, determination and, of course, Boilermaker spirit that led this legendary women’s team to a national championship will forever be celebrated in the Purdue community.   Relive all the heart-wrenching, jaw-dropping and emotional moments in this special episode of “This Is Purdue.”
Purdue for Life’s Matt Folk on the Boilermaker Spirit and Community
Feb 22 2024
Purdue for Life’s Matt Folk on the Boilermaker Spirit and Community
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Matt Folk, president and CEO of the Purdue for Life Foundation.  In this new “Boilermaker Bites” series, Matt joins podcast host Kate Young at 8Eleven Modern Bistro in the Purdue Memorial Union. Over a delicious meal of pasta with grilled scallops, Matt digs into Purdue for Life’s goal of helping everyone who is part of the Purdue community stay connected, get involved and give back.   Matt explains that by bringing together the Purdue Alumni Association, President’s Council and John Purdue Club, Purdue for Life provides opportunities for Boilermaker family, friends and fans to engage with Purdue and with one another.  He also shares stories from his time as a Boilermaker student in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to owning his own company to now leading Purdue for Life. The foundation’s initiatives include the annual, ever-growing Purdue Day of Giving, the incredibly popular Grandparents University and the President’s Council yearly trip to Naples, Florida.  From frozen tuition to the establishment of new campus buildings to creating life-changing scholarships and more, the funds raised by Purdue for Life help keep the Purdue community we love thriving.   As a Boilermaker himself, Matt knows how deep the Purdue spirit runs — and that it doesn’t end after graduation. It lasts a lifetime.
A New Dean for a New Era: Getting To Know Purdue’s Daniels School of Business Dean Jim Bullard
Jan 11 2024
A New Dean for a New Era: Getting To Know Purdue’s Daniels School of Business Dean Jim Bullard
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Jim Bullard, the Dr. Samuel R. Allen Dean of the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business.  Listen as Dean Bullard discusses his career journey from his time navigating obstacles like the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to accepting his new role with the Daniels School of Business — an opportunity he calls “irresistible.”  Dean Bullard shares his excitement for the future and how he plans to use his robust real-world business and economics experience to innovate the Daniels School of Business.  “We want to really reimagine the Daniels School of Business … to make DSB parallel with the engineering prowess of Purdue University,” Dean Bullard says.   Plus, as technology continues to intersect with the business world, Dean Bullard explains the position Purdue is in to become a leader in STEM-based business and the importance of business and STEM working together.   Also, we get to know Dean Bullard on a more personal level as he discusses his enthusiasm to be part of a Big Ten university, what he likes to do in his free time in West Lafayette and his favorite movie. (Hint: This blockbuster movie features another “This Is Purdue” podcast guest and proud Purdue alum.)  Celebrate this new era of the Daniels School of Business by getting to know its new dean on “This Is Purdue.”
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 9 2023
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
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.
Purdue Research Series | A Look Into NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Boilermaker Ties to Space With Danny Milisavljevic
Aug 17 2023
Purdue Research Series | A Look Into NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Boilermaker Ties to Space With Danny Milisavljevic
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!
Purdue Research Series | A Look Into Food Safety, Security and Sustainability With Amanda Deering and Haley Oliver
Jul 20 2023
Purdue Research Series | A Look Into Food Safety, Security and Sustainability With Amanda Deering and Haley Oliver
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Amanda Deering and Haley Oliver from Purdue University’s Department of Food Science.   This marks the second episode in our Purdue Research Series, which shares how Purdue provides practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges.  Amanda, associate professor of fresh produce food safety in Purdue’s College of Agriculture, and Haley, the 150th Anniversary Professor of Food Science and director of the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety, dive into a challenge facing the entire world: food safety, security and sustainability.  Contrary to what some may believe, their work in food science involves very little cooking. Amanda and Haley are addressing urgent questions about food production in a changing climate and a growing global population that hit 8 billion in November 2022.   On any given day, these two researchers may be working alongside researchers from Cornell University in the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety or partnering with women in Afghanistan or Indigenous communities in Peru. As a land-grant institution, Purdue is uniquely positioned to address questions of food production and safety by working hand in hand with farmers across Indiana — and the globe.  Tune in to learn more about their partnerships with organizations large and small, changing attitudes on sustainability, the importance of gender representation in food production and how research done in the heart of Indiana is helping feed the world.