Today’s top 5 from Purdue University

‘Purdue News Now’

From a special recognition for Purdue engineering at the Indiana Statehouse to Adriana Harmeyer’s return to “Jeopardy!” — Trevor Peters has all the latest Boilermaker news in this week’s edition of “Purdue News Now.”

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

A piece of the dawn: Asteroid sample science hints at an ancient salt lake and conditions in the early solar system

The organic ingredients to life, hints to where Earth’s water came from, and the fundamental building blocks of our planet and the solar system seem like a lot to fit in 4 ounces of dusty rock, but that’s exactly what scientists have found in samples of asteroid Bennu brought to Earth in 2023. Michelle Thompson, associate professor of earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences in Purdue’s College of Science, was one of the first nine lead investigators from the science team to study the samples. She was on the “tiger team” — the team of experts who were given first access to the sample of the asteroid Bennu returned from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft last year. They had 72 hours to make the preliminary measurements and assessments of the sample.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, ermurphy@purdue.edu

Purdue to launch new model of construction management technology program in Indianapolis

Offered out of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, the construction management technology program will help Purdue students in Indianapolis gain the necessary skills to be leaders in the fast-paced and high-tech construction realm. Students will learn how to successfully manage construction projects, from the conceptual budgets and day-to-day operations to project turnover and completion, gaining the critical knowledge and training required to accelerate the growth of the industry — right in the heart of Indianapolis.

Media contact: Derek Schultz, dcschultz@purdue.edu

Purdue researchers earn Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Five researchers at Purdue University received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) earlier this month. This award is given by the U.S. government to outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. These researchers exemplify Purdue’s values of persistence and innovation. PECASE, given annually to select scientists and engineers, highlights the hard work, excellence and exemplary nature of Purdue’s research programs and personnel.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, ermurphy@purdue.edu

AP video — How Ozempic and similar drugs impact food habits

Joe Balagtas, a professor in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural Economics and director of the Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability at Purdue University, discusses the impact weight loss drugs have on consumer food behavior. Balagtas says GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound treat diseases related to blood sugar and weight management. Consumers who take these drugs say they spend less money on food and eat less than they did before. These results indicate that GLP-1 drugs have a significant impact on how and what people eat, which could have large implications for manufacturers and retailers in the food system.

Media contact: Trevor Peters, peter237@purdue.edu

Initiative multiplies efforts to increase number of math teachers in Indy area

Purdue Global, with support from the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, looks to offer an educational solution to the ongoing shortage of qualified math educators through an initiative with MathTrack Institute. “Investing in Indiana’s Math Teaching Pipeline” will work with the school districts of paraeducators who have been recognized as highly committed to take the next step toward becoming math teachers. The program will launch in spring 2025.

Media contact: Matthew Oates, oatesw@purdue.edu

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About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. 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 comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.