White House chief science and technology advisor discusses Purdue students’ role in solving critical challenges of the 21st century

The director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and assistant to the president for science and technology said Wednesday (April 3) that Purdue’s role in training the next generation of engineering, semiconductor and science researchers and leaders is critical in overcoming the challenges that lie ahead.

Arati Prabhakar spent the day on campus as part of a major announcement involving SK hynix, a South Korea-based memory chip maker, which plans to invest $4 billion to construct a state-of-the-art chip packaging facility in the West Lafayette area.

Prabhakar took part in a fireside chat with U.S. Sen. Todd Young of Indiana and Arvind Raman, Purdue’s John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering.

“Purdue is proud to have Dr. Prabhakar join us on campus as we celebrate the transformative partnership with SK Hynix. It will result in numerous benefits to our students, faculty and researchers who seek to solve complex problems. Armed with imagination, innovation, and ingenuity, Purdue students will be well-prepared to address the grand challenges we face,” Raman said.

As President Biden’s science and technology advisor, Prabhakar has witnessed firsthand the nation’s expansion and investment in the semiconductor industry. She encouraged students in engineering and science to dedicate themselves to helping solve some of the grand challenges of our time.

“Engineering and science students will help us achieve our nation’s great aspirations—robust health for all, meeting the climate crisis, a competitive economy, and a peaceful world,” said Prabhakar. “President Biden finished his State of the Union address last month by saying, ‘Let’s build the future together.’ Purdue students are stepping up to make that bright future a reality.”

Senator Young, who co-authored the CHIPS and Science Act, said the critical legislation represents a pivotal moment for both the semiconductor industry and higher education.

“The CHIPS and Science Act opened a door that Indiana has been able to sprint through, and companies like SK hynix are helping to build our high-tech future as a result. Thanks to the efforts of Purdue and other higher ed institutions, our Hoosier workforce is ready to meet this moment,” Young said. 

Prabhakar, who is a member of the President’s Cabinet, stressed the importance of innovation, research and collaboration to address the multifaceted challenges of the 21st century. In addition to her current role, Prabhakar served as director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and spent 15 years in Silicon Valley. She is an IEEE fellow and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. 

Purdue’s growing semiconductor innovation ecosystem is one of four key pillars of Purdue Computes, a comprehensive initiative across computing departments, physical AI, semiconductors, and quantum science and engineering to enable unparalleled excellence at scale.