Civil engineering lab is latest Purdue facility to achieve internationally recognized quality management certification

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Robert L. and Terry L. Bowen Laboratory for Large-Scale Civil Engineering Research has become the latest facility at Purdue University to earn the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) 9001 certification for quality management systems, awarded to the facility by BSI.

This globally recognized certification enables the lab to more easily collaborate with partners in the highly regulated construction and nuclear industries. Bowen Laboratory is the second facility at Purdue to gain ISO 9001 certification after the High-Speed Propulsion Lab at Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories.

“Bowen Laboratory plays a unique role in advancing research that informs the design, construction and performance of critical infrastructure,” said Mark Lundstrom, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering. “By aligning its operations with internationally recognized standards, the lab is strengthening its ability to engage with industry partners and address complex structural and civil engineering challenges.”

Purdue’s Office of Audit, Enterprise Risk and Operational Resilience is leading the university’s ISO 9001 certification effort with the goal of bolstering operational excellence in labs across campus.

Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue’s senior vice president for partnerships and online, said that Bowen Laboratory’s certification positions Purdue as a trusted, industry-ready research partner.

“Achieving ISO 9001 certification demonstrates Purdue’s commitment to the highest standards of quality and consistency,” Peroulis said. “Every lab that undergoes certification further strengthens confidence in our research capabilities and demonstrates our ability to operate in highly regulated environments.”

Bowen Laboratory is a 66,000-square-foot space for researchers to investigate the behavior of large structures subjected to extreme events. Some of the lab’s technical capabilities include large-scale seismic, wind, fire and impact testing, as well as thermo-mechanical testing and validation of materials and structural systems used to build nuclear facilities. The lab has a long history of collaborating with industry partners, federal organizations and regulatory agencies.

The ISO 9001 standard requires organizations to adopt a quality management system (QMS) — a collection of policies and procedures that help meet regulations and establish customer trust. Since Bowen Laboratory already had an established QMS, the facility underwent an audit to ensure its processes aligned with ISO standards.

Amit Varma, director of Bowen Laboratory and the Karl H. Kettelhut Professor in Civil Engineering in the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, said that quality management has been an integral component of the lab’s operations for over 17 years.

“Over the years, Bowen Laboratory has nurtured a strong culture of quality and safety,” Varma said. “Our mature QMS provides sponsors with confidence that work meets rigorous commercial and regulatory standards. We are honored that the auditor recognized the strength of our system and look forward to leveraging this certification to further broaden our industry and federal funding opportunities.”

The advantages also extend to faculty, staff and students. Building on the lab’s and Purdue’s strong research foundation, ISO 9001 certification opens additional avenues for researchers to collaborate with the private sector and apply their innovations to commercial technologies. Students benefit from quality- and safety-focused training, which generates increased opportunities to contribute to industry projects that strengthen their skills and help prepare them for future careers.

“When lab facilities operate at this level of quality and consistency, the benefits reach every part of the research ecosystem,” said Dan DeLaurentis, Purdue’s executive vice president for research. “This certification is an important acknowledgment of the standards that have always guided Purdue’s research excellence, ensuring that the groundbreaking work taking place in our labs can continue to attract new partnerships and positively impact society.”

ISO is an independent, nongovernmental organization that develops international standards to ensure the safety and quality of products and services. Bowen received its ISO 9001 certification through BSI, one of the world’s largest certification bodies that trains and certifies organizations in a variety of standards across sectors.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States. More than 111,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. As a land-grant university committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free.