People. Making an Impact

Transcription

1 AG REsearch at Purdue People Making an Impact

2 Build Utilize Develop Enhance Strengthen Facilitate

3 urdue Agriculture is people talented faculty, dedicated staff, and motivated students who grow into an educated work force and become leaders for the future. Our research is not about beakers or data points; it s about our drive to discover knowledge that extends the frontiers of science and provides solutions to society s challenges. The people of Purdue Agriculture address questions related to agricultural competitiveness, human and animal health, environmental and natural resource management, the bioeconomy, and food security and food safety. Our team-oriented discovery efforts pull from expertise across many disciplines and engage like-minded partners, whether from industry, other academic institutions, non-government organizations, or government. We test our solutions in labs and in fields, factories, forests, or anywhere they may apply. Our campus is in Indiana, but our workplace is the world, and our outcomes are results that benefit people everywhere. These strategic themes guide and strengthen our efforts: People building a sustainable and secure food production system People utilizing molecular approaches to expand the frontiers of agriculture and life sciences People developing a robust bioeconomy to feed and power the world People enhancing food and health People strengthening ecological and environmental integrity in agricultural landscapes People facilitating informed decision making to improve economic and social well-being People Purpose Impact 1

4 People building a sustainable and secure food production system Globally, Purdue Agriculture plays a critical role in assuring a safe, nutritious, and sustainable food supply. Our work spans from the farm gate to the dinner plate. We conduct research that increases the quality and productivity of animals and plants, and extend that research by developing methods that further process food, minimize spoilage, and enhance food safety. Kola Ajuwon in Animal Sciences studies the mechanisms involved in deposition of fat in order to provide lean, healthy meat. This research also helps us to understand the basis for obesity in humans. 2 Two World Food Prize Laureates Purdue s Gebisa Ejeta received the 2009 World Food Prize, joining Philip Nelson, who won the prize in 2007.

5 People utilizing molecular approaches to expand the frontiers of agriculture and life sciences We tackle the most basic problems. We use molecular tools to study wildlife adaptation, disease resistance, abiotic stress in plants, and the epigenetic basis of disease. We examine the arrangement of DNA and genetic selection of traits and track animal and plant populations. We are developing long-term solutions that improve agricultural production, preserve diverse landscapes, and positively affect human health. Jianxin Ma s students in Agronomy compare the genome of ancient and modern soybeans. His lab group is gathering plant material from ancient soy plants to compare the plants genetic fingerprint. National Academy of Sciences Jian-Kang Zhu, Professor of Horticulture and Biochemistry, was elected to the National Academy, one of the highest honors for a scientist. 3

6 People developing a robust bioeconomy to feed and power the world Renewable resources are critical to sustaining our planet. We are discovering chemical means and developing naturally produced enzymes to digest cell walls in plants to create biofuels and other bio-products. We use these results to predict the impact of renewable energy sources and bio-products as society transitions to a bio-based economy. Wally Tyner in Agricultural Economics challenges people to think about new, clean, and sustainable energy sources in the context of sound economic policy. 4 U.S. News & World Report graduate program rankings In 2011, both the undergraduate and graduate programs in Agricultural and Biological Engineering were ranked No. 1.

7 People enhancing food and health Food safety and value-added processing are essential for our health. We have developed new technologies such as nanoparticles to enhance anti-microbial activity and aseptic packaging, and we have designed methods to improve bacterial detection. We continue to use our expertise in carbohydrates and other nutrients to develop new value-added products. Lisa Mauer in Food Science investigates the mechanisms by which humidity can chemically change health supplements, such as vitamin C, and eliminate the benefits associated with the products. Institute of International Education Purdue is second among U.S. public universities in international student enrollment. 5

8 People strengthening ecological and environmental integrity in agricultural landscapes We study land use, crop and animal production, and pest management and push the envelope on using automation to measure such phenomena as carbon and nitrogen fluxes to preserve our diverse landscape and sustain the environment. We address issues of climate change and global sustainability, enabling us to take an ecosystems approach to answer fundamental questions affecting air, land, and water. Sylvie Brouder in Agronomy is measuring carbon and nitrogen use in Miscanthus grass to determine the environmental implications of biofuels. 6 SC10 supercomputing conference rankings Purdue s supercomputers are among the most powerful high-performance computing systems in the world.

9 People facilitating informed decision making to improve economic and social well-being Our research affects people and their communities. We help farmers and industry develop solutions to increase economic vitality. We track how youth and adults learn and then use that research to help build capacity within communities. We evaluate new technologies that empower individuals to make informed decisions. Bryan Pijanowski in Forestry and Natural Resources is developing a method of using sound to understand the ecological and acoustical characteristics of a landscape. This method could be employed to monitor changes in a community s environment. The Wall Street Journal s job recruiter rankings Corporate recruiters say Purdue is among the best at preparing students to enter the workforce, ranking Purdue No. 4. 7

10 Multidisciplinary Centers where our scientists collaborate on world-class research Eight regional Purdue Agricultural Centers, representing Indiana s varied soil types and microclimates, are ideal for site-specific research. Discovery Park, the site of large-scale interdisciplinary research and innovation, builds on Purdue s strengths in agriculture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Discovery Park Centers Bindley Bioscience Center Birck Nanotechnology Center Center for the Environment Purdue Climate Change Research Center Cyber Center Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio) Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship Energy Center Global Sustainability Institute Purdue Research Park focuses on helping companies build commercial sites at the park to foster university-industry partnerships, reflecting Purdue s commitment to spur innovation and economic growth in Indiana. Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research is a university-industry research center and the site of fundamental research on practical applications of carbohydrates. Still More Examples Crop Diagnostic Training Center Water Quality Field Station Agricultural Air Quality Laboratory Agronomy Center for Research and Education Animal Sciences Research and Education Center Genomics Core Facility Food Science Pilot Plant Center for Commercial Agriculture Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Unit 8

11 Eleven Academic Departments & 300 Faculty Agricultural & Biological Engineering Agricultural Economics Agronomy Animal Sciences Biochemistry Botany & Plant Pathology Entomology Food Science Forestry & Natural Resources Horticulture & Landscape Architecture Youth Development & Agricultural Education Ag Research at Purdue Karen Plaut, Ph.D. Associate Dean & Director 615 W. State St. West Lafayette, IN

12 h Ag Research at Purdue g Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Produced by Agricultural Communication 10/11