Today’s top 5 from Purdue University

Purdue News Now

The Boilermakers rack up plenty of Big Ten hardware, and the longtime, innovative leader of the College of Veterinary Medicine announces his upcoming departure — Trevor Peters has everything you need to know this week from Purdue University. 

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

Purdue University, NCHS partner to boost health equity across several Indiana counties

Purdue University’s Health Equity Initiatives (HEI) and North Central Health Services are teaming up to take on health disparities and improve health for people living in eight north-central Indiana counties. NCHS is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the health and wellness of communities in Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties in Indiana. It is providing $4 million in funding for the collaborative four-year project aimed at improving the services and capacities of the health departments in each of the counties.

Media contact: Amy Raley, araley@purdue.edu

Most consumers continue to expect rising food prices

Sixty-four percent of U.S. consumer respondents surveyed in February 2024 predict food prices to rise in the next year, and the average predicted increase is 3.7%, according to the February Consumer Food Insights Report. The survey-based report out of Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S.

Media contact: Maureen Manier, mmanier@purdue.edu

Using AI models to predict sinus surgery outcomes earns NIH grant for Purdue professor in Indianapolis

Unnecessary medical care and surgeries that provide no benefits cost patients hundreds of billions in wasteful dollars each year. According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the annual cost of wasteful health care spending accounts for nearly one-quarter of all health care spending annually. Snehasis Mukhopadhyay, a Purdue computer and information science professor in Indianapolis, is working with a team of researchers from other universities to tackle the issue with artificial intelligence, particularly when it comes to unnecessary sinus surgeries.  

Media contact: Derek Schultz, dcschultz@purdue.edu

AP Video — Getting kids excited about a future in STEM

Brandon Sorge, a Purdue University associate professor and STEM education researcher in Indianapolis, explains what parents and teachers can do to increase awareness of STEM career opportunities. Sorge says getting kids excited and learning about STEM when they are young is an important first step. Teachers and guidance counselors can help connect kids with people that look like them and inspire them to continue down the path to a career in STEM.

Media contact: Derek Schultz, dcschultz@purdue.edu

Cunningham Restaurant Group brings farm-to-table restaurant to Discovery Park District at Purdue

A unique culinary destination will be coming to the Discovery Park District at Purdue with the Cunningham Restaurant Group (CRG) announcement of a new, farm-to-table restaurant that will be housed in a historic barn slated to be revitalized as a future community hub. The restaurant will occupy part of the planned 10,600-square-foot, multi-use building located between Airport Road and McCutcheon Drive just off Mitch Daniels Boulevard. While the menu is still being developed, it will highlight CRG’s commitment to “local is best” and unforgettable guest dining experiences. CRG also brought Bru Burger Bar to downtown Lafayette in 2019.

Media contact: Polly Barks, phbarks@prf.org 

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.

Extending shelf life of mRNA medicine

How communities can prepare for the eclipse

Gas stove nanoparticles compared to car exhaust

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 new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, and Purdue Computes — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.