Purdue Polytechnic: Techies Today

Purdue Polytechnic, a college known for hands-on teaching & learning, needed a stronger research portfolio. Gary Bertoline, distinguished professor and former dean, helped professors start doing in research what they already did incredibly well in teaching: to apply theory to practical, real-world situations. It’s called use-inspired research.

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Purdue Polytechnic, known before 2015 as the College of Technology, has disciplines that look at times like engineering, computer science & management—which, former dean Gary Bertoline says, makes it difficult to understand our unique role. He recalls creating a future-forward plan to redefine &amp differentiate the college.

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Equity is not about treating everybody the same. John Gates, Purdue’s vice provost for diversity and inclusion, says it’s is about providing people what they need to succeed, even if that means treating people differently—and what we do innately in our lives is what we should do in our classrooms and offices.

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Mike Reckowsky, director of industry relations in Purdue Polytechnic, says companies that sponsor students’ senior capstone projects receive working prototypes that address real-world problems. See students’ unique problem-solving abilities on display during our Tech Expo, and learn why your company should partner with our college.

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How did building cities in the dirt with toys and listening to soccer games on the radio lead a boy from Colombia to a distinguished career in industry and higher education that spanned three continents? It’s the story of Daniel Castro, the new dean of Purdue Polytechnic.

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James Letsinger, a 2013 Construction Management Technology grad, is overseeing construction of Purdue's $140M Engineering & Polytechnic Gateway Complex. He discusses what his job is like each day at the construction site and what it means to him to advance from being a graduate to building his school’s future home.

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Toni Munguia, affectionately known as "Miss Toni" to legions of current and past Purdue students, loves them like her own family. Toni tells us how she first came to Purdue, why working with students is so meaningful to her, and how her TECH 101 course makes a difference for students and the Polytechnic.

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Abby Perez is a user experience engineer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. In 2018, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Purdue Polytechnic’s UX Design program with a minor in psychology and a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. This episode features interviews with Abby recorded several years apart.

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Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar, associate professor of computer and information technology, fights crime using cyberforensics, a branch of digital forensic science pertaining to evidence found in computers and digital storage media. She has become a national leader in the field.

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Nadeem Ali, a mechanical engineering technology student, went on not just one, but three, internships! Getting real-world industry experience during college is how to "diversify your experience outside of your book-smarts," he says, to make you especially attractive to future employers.

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Rosemary Astheimer's students watch her pre-recorded video lectures before coming to class, so class sessions are used for active learning and problem-solving. Astheimer, assistant professor of practice in computer graphics technology, says the "flipped classroom" method better accommodates different learning styles.

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"The opportunities are almost limitless" for today's students in construction management, says Mark Zimpfer, assistant professor of construction management technology, because more workers are retiring than entering the industry. Graduates often find themselves leading big projects just two years after earning degrees.

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Purdue Provost Jay Akridge speaks with Polytechnic faculty and staff about the University's growth, its investments in faculty and facilities, and its future aspirations. The landscape for higher education will be very different in 2030, he says, and the time to start preparing is now.

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Renee Thomas, director of Purdue's Black Cultural Center, knows that being active in the campus community leads to academic success. With music, performing arts and cultural programs, the Black Cultural Center helps students get involved in “edutainment” — education through entertainment.

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Lindsay Drake and Carson Deal, Purdue Polytechnic students, went on a two-week Study Abroad trip to Europe before their first semester at Purdue. The experience was more than just an amazing cultural immersion; they each earned 3 credit hours.

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Purdue Polytechnic Vincennes' Jim Tanoos discusses supply chain management, globalization, and how studying abroad provides students with unique insight into this increasingly global field of study.

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Melody Birmingham-Byrd studied organizational leadership and has been a supervisor throughout her career, including more than seven years with Duke Energy. She reveals the inspiration for her career in management and shares advice about how to succeed in business in every phase of your career.

Read more about Melody and our podcast here.

(Episode has been edited to correct a minor error.) Gozdem Kilaz is an assistant professor of engineering technology, who focuses on developing alternative liquid fuels for transportation — specifically, biofuels for aviation. She discusses her work on a project to convert plastic waste into jet fuel. Gozdem also has big news to share about an upcoming project.

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Mitch Daniels & Gary Bertoline discuss the Engineering & Polytechnic Gateway Complex. Details: https://polytechnic.purdue.edu/newsroom/lilly-endowment-grants-40m-gateway-buildings-for-polytechnic

Learn more about Purdue Polytechnic & our podcast: https://polytechnic.purdue.edu/techiestoday