Exploratory Studies Explore. Discover. Decide

Eric Rodenberg

Academic Advisor 

Office: Young Hall (YONG), 6th floor
Phone: (765) 494-0843
E-mail: ejrodenb@purdue.edu

Hometown

 Akron, Indiana

Education

  • B.S., Chemistry, Purdue University
  • Ph.D., Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University

Experience

Before returning to Purdue University to serve as an Academic Advisor in Exploratory Studies, my prior career experience was in the medical device industry working as a research scientist, scientific educator, and in medical science scholarly writing and communications.

Advice for the Future Boilermaker

  • Be proactive - make an early effort to meet, get to know, and form trust with your academic advisor(s).
  • Establish a weekly schedule and a routine to strike a healthy balance between your academic course loads and your personal down-time:
    • Attend all of your classes each term and strive to be an actively engaged learner.
    • Manage your personal time maximally and effectively: explore ways to mentally decompress such as through regular exercise and participating in social organizations on campus.
  • Network, Network, Network – you will do yourself a great service for your future career by engaging with faculty, staff, and student mentors to guide you along your academic path and open connections.
  • There are MANY academic, career planning, and personal well-being resources available to you to make your college experience the most successful it can be – do not be afraid to ask questions and seek help!

Fun Facts

I love spending time with my wife and daughter and our extended family. My wife and I were both born and raised in the Midwest. After a brief two-year hiatus out-of-state to complete our post-graduate training, my wife and I made the decision to return to our roots in Indiana, establish our careers, and grow our family here in the communities surrounding Purdue University.

In my down time, I really enjoy spending time working outside around our home tending to the yard and landscaping, wrenching on the classic car that my wife let me buy, and reading books, particularly on the topics of space science and space exploration. As a Purdue alumnus, I am grateful for the many opportunities over the years to have met and had impactful conversations with many of Purdue’s astronaut alumni – including Gene Cernan and Neil Armstrong – as well as several non-Purdue astronauts too! With my strong interests in space exploration, I find it rewarding to be working as an academic advisor in Exploratory Studies to help our students explore their college plans of study and long-term career aspirations.