January 10, 2006
Rebar named executive director of Purdue's Discovery Park
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue's Discovery Park will be led by the university's former dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine.
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Alan H. Rebar, who has served as the park's interim executive director since July, was named executive director of the university's hub for interdisciplinary research and entrepreneurism, university officials announced today (Tuesday, Jan. 10). Rebar was chosen after a national search, and his appointment is effective immediately.
"Alan's insight and leadership clearly make him the best person to lead this revolutionary, innovative center that is redefining the relationship among research, education and economic development," said Charles O. Rutledge, Purdue's vice president of research.
As part of his duties, Rebar also fills the position of senior associate vice president for research and will report to Rutledge, who served as executive director of Discovery Park during its four-year start-up phase.
"Through Discovery Park, we are reinventing the land-grant university concept for the 21st century," Rebar said. "This $250 million campus research enterprise is bringing together the most dynamic projects and innovative researchers to make basic discoveries available to advance the Indiana economy and solve societal problems by inventing new products and processes."
Collectively, the 10 centers of Discovery Park have garnered more than $112 million in sponsored research support. Discovery Park now employs about 100 directors, researchers, staff and associates.
More development is under way at Discovery Park, a 40-acre site located on the southwest section of Purdue's campus.
Construction has begun on the Gerald D. and Edna E. Mann Hall, a $12.4 million building expected to be completed by January 2007 for housing Purdue's e-Enterprise Center. It will join the centers that have opened over the past two years – the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, Bindley Bioscience Center and Birck Nanotechnology Center.
Rounding out the Discovery Park centers are: Discovery Learning Center, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Center for the Environment, Oncological Sciences Center, Cyber Center and Energy Center.
A native of Stillwater, Okla., Rebar grew up in Elkhart, Ind. He joined the Purdue faculty in 1976 as an assistant professor of clinical pathology. Rebar received his doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 1973 and a doctor of philosophy degree in 1975, both from Purdue.
During his career in academia, Rebar has received the American Animal Hospital Association's Award of Merit and its Gaines Cycle Fido Award, as well as the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine. He also won the Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for Best Teacher in Veterinary Medicine at Purdue.
"Discovery Park represents a new university research model, allowing Purdue to develop coordinated interdisciplinary approaches with the primary goal to offer solutions to societal problems," Rebar said.
"Each of the 10 centers has shown national competitiveness in obtaining funding. And the capabilities of Discovery Park will continue to grow as more facilities come online."
Eight startup companies have been fostered by Discovery Park since it was launched in September 2001. And the original $26 million investment by Lilly Endowment has been leveraged to almost $250 million, including facilities funding, sponsored research funding and corporate investments.
Lilly Endowment added to its original investment last spring with a $25 million grant for the park.
Writer: Phillip Fiorini, (765) 496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu
Sources: Alan H. Rebar, (765) 496-6625, rebar@purdue.edu
Charles O. Rutledge, (765) 494-6209, chipr@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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