Purdue, Dow AgroSciences, public officials dedicate new life sciences research facility, greenhouse
Purdue University, Purdue Research Foundation, Dow AgroSciences LLC, and Indiana and West Lafayette officials on Wednesday (Sept. 22) dedicated a new 15,000-square-foot area for research and office space and a 10,000-square-foot greenhouse complex in the Purdue Research Park for biotechnology innovation and discovery. From left are: Mitch Roob, Indiana Secretary of Commerce and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corp.; France A. Córdova, Purdue University president; Antonio Galindez, Dow AgroSciences president and CEO; Dan Kittle, Dow AgroSciences vice president of research and development; John Dennis, West Lafayette mayor; Joseph B. Hornett, Purdue Research Foundation senior vice president, treasurer and COO; and Jay Akridge, Purdue's Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. and INDIANAPOLIS – Purdue, Dow AgroSciences LLC, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and greater Lafayette officials on Wednesday (Sept. 22) dedicated a new life sciences research space and greenhouse in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette.
Less than one year after announcing the partnership, Dow AgroSciences is now occupying 15,000 square feet of research and office space in the Herman and Heddy Kurz Purdue Technology Center at 1281 Win Hentschel Blvd. In addition, Dow AgroSciences is the exclusive tenant of an 11,000-square-foot greenhouse complex on the south side of Ross Enterprise Center. Approximately 30 scientists and contract research assistants will work in the facilities in the years to come.
"Dow AgroSciences is committed to discovering technology to help address the challenges of feeding a growing population, and the work we are doing in these state-of-the-art facilities at Purdue will help us advance our global agricultural research efforts," said Antonio Galindez, president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences. "The partnership and support of Purdue and the state of Indiana are very important enablers to continuing the momentum of the life sciences in Indiana."
Researchers from Dow AgroSciences will have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty in the Purdue University colleges of Agriculture and Science and have access to some campus research facilities.
Purdue President France A. Córdova speaks to a crowd of about 150 during Wednesday's (Sept. 22) dedication of a new 15,000-square-foot research and office space and a 10,000-square-foot greenhouse in the Purdue Research Park. The aim of the collaborative project is to advance life sciences research in the agricultural sector. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock)
"We celebrate a powerful partnership among the state of Indiana, Purdue Research Park and Dow AgroSciences that will bring new jobs to our community, new opportunities to our students and new discoveries to our world," said Purdue President France A. Córdova. "Those goals are at the very heart of Purdue's land-grant mission."
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation supported the Purdue Research Foundation in the construction of the greenhouse research center with a $2.2 million grant to assist in development costs.
"We know that other sites outside Indiana were recruiting the Dow AgroSciences research and development enterprise, and, as part of our state's strategy to promote job growth in Indiana, we worked hard to make sure this opportunity stayed in Indiana," said Mitch Roob, Indiana Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the IEDC. "We are pleased to see the construction project completed on time and to see the employment benefit and research expansion come to fruition."
Dow AgroSciences joins the more than 160 companies already based in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette.
Antonio Galindez, Dow AgroSciences president and CEO, and Jay Akridge, Purdue's Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, speak with Purdue agricultural students following Wednesday's (Sept. 22) dedication ceremony. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock)
"This is the first greenhouse we have constructed in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, and it is an important addition to our site because it represents a strong move into the agricultural sector of life sciences," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation, which manages the Purdue Research Park. "The dedication of the research facility and greenhouse provides yet another opportunity for park-based companies to collaborate with Purdue University."
Jay Akridge, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, and other agricultural researchers and leaders have worked with scientists at Dow AgroSciences.
"One of the goals for the College of Agriculture's strategic plan is to expand in multidisciplinary research and engagement to address critical issues at the state, national and international levels," he said. "We already have a strong collaboration with Dow AgroSciences, but having a research site in this area will provide our faculty and students with even stronger opportunities for research and engagement."
West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis said that the Dow AgroSciences research facility and greenhouse in West Lafayette will add to the economic development of the city.
Dow AgroSciences LLC is using the 10,000-square-foot greenhouse in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette for early-stage research in developing new technologies that can be used by multiple crops. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation supported the Purdue Research Foundation in the construction of the $2.2 million greenhouse research center with a grant to assist in development costs. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock)
"The dedication of the Dow AgroSciences' facility is another example of how much the West Lafayette area benefits by having the Purdue Research Park," Dennis said. "Our community works closely with the park and other economic development organizations to ensure that we continue to grow and diversify our economy."
About IEDC
Created by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Daniels. Indiana Secretary of Commerce Mitch Roob serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. For more information about IEDC, visit https://www.iedc.in.gov
About Dow AgroSciences LLC
Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Ind., is a top-tier agricultural company providing innovative agrochemical and biotechnology solutions globally. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, has sales of $4.5 billion. Learn more at https://www.dowagro.com
About Purdue Research Park
The 725-acre Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 160 companies. About 100 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. The park is owned and managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, the foundation has established technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Indianapolis, Merrillville and New Albany. Statewide, the Purdue Research Park network has 200 companies that provide 4,000 high-tech jobs for Indiana residents.
Contacts: Kenda Resler-Friend, Dow AgroSciences LLC, 317-337-4743, KResler@dow.com
Blair West, Indiana Economic Development Corp., 317-232-8873, bwest@iedc.IN.gov
Cynthia Sequin, Purdue Research Foundation, 765-588-3340, casequin@prf.org
Sources: Joseph B. Hornett, 765-588-1039, jbhornett@prf.org
Jay Akridge, 765-494-4327, akridge@purdue.edu
Mitch Roob, 317-232-8873, bwest@iedc.IN.gov
Antonio Galindez, 317-337-4743, kresler@dow.com
Related websites:
Dow AgroSciences LLC: https://www.dowagro.com
IEDC: https://iedc.in.gov/
Purdue Research Park: https://www.purdueresearchpark.com/
Purdue University College of Agriculture: https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu