Purdue Difference MAKERS

Safe and available food. Life depends on it. Fact is, much of the world’s population has barely enough. Purdue faculty members are advancing tools to ensure safe and secure food sources around the world. In labs, they tackle e-coli and airborne pathogens. With government agencies, they inform policy. On the ground, they address community concerns and needs. These are Purdue's Difference Makers.

R. Graham Cooks
Science

R. Graham Cooks

Graham Cooks envisions a day when everyone will carry their own handheld sensing system, not unlike “Star Trek's” tricorder device, to instantly test foods for the presence of bacteria or pesticides.

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Mohan Dutta
Liberal Arts

Mohan Dutta

For health communication to work, the experts must go to communities and really listen to their stories. Without listening as a starting point, no amount of top-down information and persuasion can change human habits sustainably.

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Rich Linton
Agriculture

Rich Linton

The next time you grab a bite to eat at a restaurant, think of Rich Linton, whose work in food safety may help you dodge food poisoning.

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J. Paul Robinson
Engineering

J. Paul Robinson

In his quest for research with real-life applications, J. Paul Robinson's research activities have taken him to all corners of the world, even to the summit of Mount Everest in May 2009, an ascent that was tied to an effort to raise money for AIDS detection.

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Lisa Mauer
Agriculture

Lisa Mauer

Food and vitamins aren't always what they seem. Lisa Mauer is uncovering new techniques to detect pathogens and discovering how to improve the quality and stability of our vitamins.

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