Purdue Research Foundation's Internet sites get new look; provide updated information

The three updated sites include that of Purdue Research Park, the Purdue Research Foundation, and the foundation’s Office of Technology Commercialization.

"More than 75 percent of the information provided on these sites is new or updated," said Joseph B. Hornett, the foundation's senior vice president, treasurer and COO. "As we built these sites, we paid special attention to our core audiences and the information they need to know as they seek to form connections with the many new programs and services we offer. The sites are easier to navigate and give viewers a real sense of the exciting technologies and companies that we have the honor of working with."

For the past 75 years, Purdue Research Foundation's sole purpose has been to "Advance the Mission of Purdue University." In addition to the foundation's longtime responsibilities — accepting gifts, administering trusts, funding research scholarships and grants, acquiring property, and negotiating research contracts on behalf of Purdue — the foundation took on a new incarnation in the 1990s when it was charged with helping the university in the realm of economic development. At that time, the foundation began to develop Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette with the aim of creating a world-class hub for business acceleration.

Purdue Research Park is Indiana's first Certified Technology Park and home to the largest university-affiliated business incubator in the country, as well as the greatest number of technology companies in the state. More than 190 of the park's peers at the Association of University Research Parks named Purdue Research Park the nation's top program for technology transfer (2005) and top research park (2004).

"Purdue Research Park's Web site now speaks directly to the entrepreneurs, investors and jobseekers who want to know what's happening in conjunction with the park's more than 90 technology-related firms," said Gregory W. Deason, the foundation's vice president of real estate and research park development. "On the park's new homepage, we made it a point to creatively promote what makes the park great ... our companies!

"Part of our mission is to attract more businesses to our park, and so we have included a special area dedicated to site selection consultants and others wanting to learn about our newest phase of land development and the building sites available here for sale or lease."

The Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC), also managed by the foundation, operates one of the most comprehensive technology-transfer programs among leading research universities in the country, Hornett said.

"Purdue's intellectual property is an asset we strive hard to protect, market and license," said Simran Trana, OTC's director. "OTC's new homepage showcases many of the exciting technologies that we have helped to commercialize as well as those we still have available for licensing.

"At OTC, we work hand-in-hand with Purdue faculty, staff and students to provide the resources needed to get groundbreaking technologies into the marketplace, so we wanted this Web site to be a place where these inventors would return again and again for tips and encouragement."

The sites were designed and implemented with the assistance of Hetrick Communications, an Indianapolis-based marketing and advertising firm.

Contact: Jeanine Phipps, senior marketing and communications specialist, Purdue Research Foundation/Purdue University, (765) 494-0748 (office), (765) 413-5579 (mobile), jeanine@purdue.edu

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