Purdue alum and pilot Capt. Sully Sullenberger of ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ fame to highlight Purdue Presidential Lecture on Nov. 4

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Capt. Sully Sullenberger, a Purdue University alumnus who heroically landed a commercial airliner on the Hudson River in 2009 after it lost power from a bird strike, saving all 155 passengers and crew, will join Purdue President Mung Chiang for a Presidential Lecture Series event on Nov. 4.

Capt. Sullenberger’s Purdue appearance, titled “How a Life’s Commitment to Excellence Saved 155 People Aboard US Airways Flight 1549,” is at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, in Elliott Hall of Music. The Presidential Lecture Series event is free and open to the public, but a general admission ticket will be required. Doors will open at 3 p.m. A no-bag policy will be in place for the event.

“Capt. Sullenberger has literally risen to great heights during his legendary career as an airline pilot and, importantly, as a leader who exemplified calm under extreme pressure on that cold January day 15 years ago with his several split-second decisions in captaining US Airways Flight 1549 to safely land that airplane, saving all 155 passengers and crew,” Chiang said.

“To paraphrase Capt. Sullenberger’s words, it was a ‘constant pursuit of excellence’ over many years as a commercial pilot that made him a household name as the hero behind the ‘Miracle on the Hudson,’” Chiang said. “We’re excited to host this Presidential Lecture to hear this Boilermaker’s inspirational story.”

Just after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Jan. 15, 2009, a flock of Canada geese took out both engines on US Airways Flight 1549. Sullenberger told his passengers to brace for impact, and he and First Officer Jeff Skiles deftly and calmly landed the plane on the Hudson River. With the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop, Sullenberger stayed on board until the passengers and crew were safely off the plane.

There were no fatalities, although 100 people were injured, some seriously. The time from the bird strike to the landing was less than 3½ minutes.

In his 2009 memoir, “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters,” Sullenberger describes the events surrounding the heroic water landing that became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Along with his life story, in the book Sullenberger discusses leadership, responsibility, service and how his studies at Purdue prepared him well for the challenges he would face.

“Highest Duty” also inspired a Hollywood movie about his life. The 2016 film “Sully” was directed by Clint Eastwood, and Tom Hanks played Sullenberger.

Sullenberger’s most recent book, “Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage From America’s Leaders,” was published in 2012 and explores what it takes to lead and inspire.

After his gallant feat 15 years ago, Sullenberger spoke throughout the United States about the business of human factors in flying — matching human and machine — and how those human factors helped him land an airplane safely in the water. “The facts tell us what to do and how to do it, but it is our humanity which tells us that we must do something and why we must do it,” Sullenberger famously has said.

In June, the Sullenberger Aviation Museum opened in Charlotte, giving people a chance to see up close the US Airways Airbus A320 airliner that Sullenberger landed on the Hudson. At the time of the incident, Sullenberger had logged more than 20,000 total flight hours, including 4,765 in an A320. The US Airways Flight 1549 was bound for Charlotte. Formerly known as the Carolinas Aviation Museum, Sullenberger Aviation Museum was renamed to honor the famous pilot.

Sullenberger, who holds a master’s degree in industrial psychology from Purdue, in 2010 joined President Emeritus Martin Jischke as the only two individuals to receive the university’s Neil A. Armstrong Medal of Excellence. Sullenberger also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Liberal Arts, an honorary doctorate from Purdue, and spoke at the university’s Spring 2011 Commencement ceremony.

During Indiana’s Bicentennial celebration in 2016, Sullenberger was featured in the West Lafayette Public Library’s exhibition “Pop! Goes Purdue.” The project featured works from local artists who highlighted pop culture figures from Purdue as their subject matter.

“My time at Purdue was wonderful,” Sullenberger told Purdue graduates during his 2011 commencement address. “I can remember being 5 years old and knowing I was going to fly airplanes, and I was very fortunate to be able to spend my life doing just that. Having found my passion made me more willing to work hard at my job and to become expert at it. And not only did I benefit from this, but I believe that society has as well. Following my passion has helped me find purpose and meaning in my life.”

A native of Denison, Texas, who learned to fly as a teenager, Sullenberger received his undergraduate degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1973. He earned the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship Award there. Within weeks, he was at Purdue taking summer classes to complete his master’s work. He also received a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Northern Colorado.

Sullenberger served as a fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force from 1975-80 and became a flight leader and training officer. Afterward, he joined Pacific Southwest Airlines, which later became US Airways, as a pilot. He has more than 57 years of flying experience and has served in various safety and investigative capacities in the airline industry. As a safety advocate expert, he also has served on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.

About the Presidential Lecture Series

Launched in 2014 by then-Purdue President Mitch Daniels and continued by President Mung Chiang, the Presidential Lecture Series exposes Purdue students and the broader community to inspiring ideas, courageous leadership and models of civic engagement and civil discourse. The Presidential Lecture Series has had over 40 guests of many viewpoints and perspectives and hosted some of the great intellectual, business and civic leaders of our time. As one of the world’s premier centers of scholarly leadership, Purdue is — appropriately and necessarily — a regular venue for great thinkers across a wide variety of disciplines.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including over 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.