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‘Purdue News Now’

From the Indy Classic to a new chief operating officer for the Purdue Research Foundation, Derek Schultz has all of this week’s stories covered in the latest “Purdue News Now.”

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

Fast Company names Purdue University a ‘Brand That Matters’ for fourth straight year

For the fourth year in a row, Purdue University is the only higher education institution to be named to Fast Company magazine’s prestigious “Brands That Matter,” an annual list recognizing and honoring organizations for their ability to convey their brand, perform their mission, and advance their ideals with intention and authenticity. As one of only four honorees selected all four years since the award’s inception in 2021, Purdue continues on a winning streak matched by only three other world-renowned brands: Impossible Foods, Sesame Workshop and Vital Farms. Fast Company received more than 1,200 applications for the 2024 award, ultimately selecting an exclusive lineup of 121 brands that includes such notable companies as American Express, The Walt Disney Co. and e.l.f. Beauty.

Purdue’s strengths in interdisciplinary sciences places it No. 20 globally

Purdue University’s strengths in interdisciplinary sciences positioned it among the world’s best, ranking No. 20 globally, according to inaugural rankings released by Times Higher Education. The 2025 Interdisciplinary Science Rankings from Times Higher Education, which were released Nov. 21, included 749 institutions from 92 countries and territories including 38 universities in the United States. The Times Higher Education rankings, a joint project with Schmidt Science Fellows, measured university performance in three areas: inputs (funding); process (measures of success, facilities, administrative support and promotion); and outputs (publications, research quality and reputation). Science disciplines are defined according to THE’s mapping guide of 11 subjects and include physical sciences, life sciences, engineering and computer science.

Purdue Research Foundation names Greg Deason as chief operating officer

Greg Deason has been appointed chief operating officer for Purdue Research Foundation, effective Feb. 1. Deason will work closely with Chad Pittman, who recently was named PRF president and CEO following Brian Edelman’s retirement, also effective Feb. 1. Deason, currently PRF’s senior vice president of alliances and placemaking, will work with Pittman to provide leadership for the foundation’s strategic operations and business processes.

New institute set to redefine AI and semiconductor research at Purdue and beyond

The Institute of Chips and AI, launched Nov. 19 in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is a pioneering initiative from Purdue University’s College of Engineering and the next giant leap in redefining the future of semiconductor and AI research. The institute’s mission is to harness innovative chip technology to power the future of AI while leveraging AI itself to accelerate and improve chip design processes. This approach will not only drive cutting-edge advancements but also address the complexities and costs associated with developing state-of-the-art semiconductor chips. The institute will build on Purdue’s long history of leadership and groundbreaking research in projects such as the SRC/DARPA Center for Brain-Inspired Computing and the recently awarded Microelectronics Commons project on AI hardware.

’This Is Purdue’ podcast: Celebrating Purdue Board of Trustees Chair Mike Berghoff’s legacy and impact

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Mike Berghoff, chair of the Purdue University Board of Trustees. Since joining the board in 2009 and being appointed chair in 2015, Berghoff (BS industrial management ’85) has helped lead the university to incredible success and growth while managing significant challenges in the higher education landscape. Berghoff recently announced that he will retire from his position Jan. 1.

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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.