Discovery Park enhances interdisciplinary research in primary areas of study represented by the following Centers: Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience Center, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Center for the Environment, Cyber Center, Discovery Learning Center, e-Enterprise Center, Energy Center, and Oncological Sciences Center. Collaboration of faculty across research disciplines enhances their efforts and provides students with substantial experience with working in teams. A tenth center, Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, integrates management research and educational efforts to develop a greater spirit of entrepreneurship among Purdue faculty and students. The initial funding of Discovery Park by Lilly Endowment allows Purdue faculty to attract financial support from other sources so that the impact is much greater not only in Indiana but throughout the world.

The mission of Discovery Park is to provide Purdue University with facilities, leadership, and systems that transcend traditional academic boundaries, fostering an innovative interdisciplinary environment for learning, discovery, and engagement that leads to intellectual excitement, scientific achievement, and economic growth and opportunities. The vision of Discovery Park is for it to serve as a model for facilitating interdisciplinary endeavors and to be recognized for its people and their vibrant, progressive approach to discovery and learning.

Since its inception, Discovery Park has leveraged resources to secure $168 million in extramural funding for programs and projects. Funding has been awarded by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, Regenstrief Foundation, U.S. State Department, and Indiana Proteomics Consortium, among others. Eight start-up companies have been launched by the faculty members associated with Discovery Park. The construction of three buildings (Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, Birck Nanotechnology Center, and the Bindley Bioscience Center) is completed, and plans are being made for two additional buildings (e-Enterprise Center and Discovery Learning Center).

EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

Life Sciences Business Plan Competition, Burton D. Morgan Business Plan Competition, and Opportunities for Indiana Regional Business Plan Competitions

Undergraduate Research Opportunities: Discovery Park Undergraduate Research Internship Program, Interns for Indiana Program, Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and Undergraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Discovery Lecture Series

Good Manufacturing Practices Training Program

National Science Foundation - "Network for Computational Nanotechnology"

NASA - "Institue for Nanoelectronics and Computing"

Purdue Homeland Security Institute

Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering at Purdue

Product Lifecycle Management Center of Excellence

Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education

Purdue University Regional Visualization and Analytics Center

Micromechanical Sensors for Virus Detection

Ionomics and Tools for Differential Metabolomics

Contact Discovery Park at discoverypark@purdue.edu or visit the Web site at http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark.

Source: Office of the Provost