Today’s top 5 from Purdue University

‘Purdue News Now’

Purdue announces a new member on the Board of Trustees and its chief semiconductor officer earns the highest citizen honor for the state of Indiana. Trevor Peters has everything you need to know in this week’s “Purdue News Now.”

Plus, check out five good stories below you may have missed. 

Purdue rises to No. 79 globally, improves to No. 32 in the U.S. in latest Times Higher Education rankings

Purdue University’s research prowess and enhanced global reputation continue to earn recognition. Purdue rose to No. 79 globally and No. 32 in the U.S. in the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, released Wednesday (Oct. 9). Improving seven spots worldwide from the 2024 rankings, Purdue also matched an all-time high by coming in at No. 13 among all U.S. public universities. Purdue was the only university in Indiana to be ranked in the top 100 globally and top 50 domestically, while also earning a No. 8 standing among public land-grant institutions.

Media contact: Derek Schultz, dcschultz@purdue.edu

Manufacturing Day recap: Purdue marks launch of 3 major manufacturing activities

Each year, the U.S. Department of Commerce holds Manufacturing Day on the first Friday in October to show students, parents and the public what modern manufacturing is all about. This Manufacturing Day, Oct. 4, Purdue celebrated its role in advancing new manufacturing technologies with three major events: a high-speed propulsion lab dedication, a new Young Institute manufacturing space and the “AI in Manufacturing Across Smart Corridor of America” panel.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, emurphyv@purdue.edu

Governor appoints Dave Ricks to Purdue Board of Trustees

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has appointed David A. Ricks to the Purdue University Board of Trustees, effective Jan. 1, 2025, to July 1, 2027. Ricks is chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. Under his leadership, Lilly has delivered record research and development output and innovative medicines that continue to reach more people, positioning the company for sustained growth and an expanded role in the advancement of human health. Ricks will fill the vacancy created by the pending retirement of board chair Michael Berghoff.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, emurphyv@purdue.edu

AP video — Strength of hurricanes: What is changing?

Dan Chavas, an associate professor in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University, explains that hurricane season is getting longer, and storms are getting stronger. Chavas says that the number of storms has remained steady in recent decades, but there is evidence that hurricanes are gradually becoming more intense. As a result, major hurricanes have been reaching Category 3, 4 and 5 statuses more often. While the typical hurricane season begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30, Chavas says this is expanding.

Media contact: Trevor Peters, peter237@purdue.edu

Purdue renews key collaboration with Ascend Indiana

Purdue University’s collaboration with Ascend Indiana that connects students to promising career opportunities in Indianapolis and statewide will continue for the foreseeable future. The two entities have renewed their collaboration — which links Purdue students to jobs and internships in Indiana that match their skill sets and interests through the Ascend Network, the initiative’s online job matching platform — for three years. Purdue students in West Lafayette and Indianapolis gain an early foothold in their career pursuits, unlocking a plethora of internship and employment opportunities within the state while receiving one-on-one guidance and job search support at no cost. Meanwhile, Indiana’s leading employers gain access to a pipeline of job-ready Boilermaker talent right in their backyard.

Media contact: Derek Schultz, dcschultz@purdue.edu

MORE: Recent AP video stories

The AP Newsroom (for AP members) and Purdue News YouTube channel (for all reporters) provide comments from Purdue experts on timely topics.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.