{"id":10984,"date":"2026-05-01T18:58:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T18:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/online\/?p=10984"},"modified":"2026-05-01T19:31:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:31:05","slug":"purdue-visit-to-caterpillars-tinaja-hills-demonstration-and-learning-center-shows-the-power-of-partnerships-in-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/online\/purdue-visit-to-caterpillars-tinaja-hills-demonstration-and-learning-center-shows-the-power-of-partnerships-in-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Purdue visit to Caterpillar Inc’s Tinaja Hills Demonstration and Learning Center shows the power of partnerships in action"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the high desert outside of Tucson, Arizona sits Caterpillar Inc.\u2019s Tinaja Hills Demonstration and Learning Center. At this 6,000-acre facility, Caterpillar (CAT), one of the world\u2019s leading manufacturers of construction and mining equipment, tests and showcases its boundary-pushing machines. Amidst the stark, rugged terrain, these machines conduct amazing feats \u2014 quite literally moving mountains and shaping landscapes. The goal? To create a more efficient, safer way of building the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past February, Eric Woods, executive director of industry partnerships in Purdue\u2019s Office of Industry Partnerships, and several Purdue faculty took a trip to CAT\u2019s demonstration facility in the Arizona desert. There, they got to see for themselves how CAT\u2019s equipment is redefining safety, efficiency and scale. The trip was also a diplomatic mission; one meant to open up new avenues for research, collaboration and workforce development in Purdue\u2019s longstanding partnership with CAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis visit was the result of Purdue reaching out to Caterpillar and seeing what they needed from us, and how we could help them,\u201d said Woods. \u201cThroughout our relationship, Caterpillar has come to Purdue\u2019s campus many times. We wanted the chance to go to them and do a show and tell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This show and tell brought together representatives from CAT and faculty from across Purdue (pictured left in front of a CAT machine), including faculty from the College of Engineering, Purdue Polytechnic, College of Agriculture, The Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, and Purdue in Indianapolis. During the visit, they got to experience CAT\u2019s innovation first-hand, riding in three-story tall machinery that can be controlled autonomously (i.e. without a driver), reach speeds of 40 miles per hour and come to a full stop in seconds. The experience was unforgettable, Woods said. It also generated a lot of ideas for future collaborations and research projects that Purdue and CAT can complete together.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cCaterpillar has unbelievably cool technology,\u201d Woods said. \u201cOur visit generated a lot of research ideas, and it furthered our relationship. We brought in experts from across Purdue, because we wanted to match Caterpillar\u2019s innovation with our expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Woods, connecting CAT with Purdue faculty is a good example of the symbiotic relationships that Purdue\u2019s Office of Industry Partnerships (OIP) cultivates. Through partnering with leading companies like CAT, faculty have more resources to conduct innovative research, and their students have stronger career pathways. In turn, CAT gets connected with researchers who can help them launch new technologies, and, in many cases, they hire Purdue students to build these technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCaterpillar does a lot of research with Purdue. They have buildings and offices around campus,\u201d said Woods. \u201cThey also offer a lot of internships to Purdue students, and they hire Purdue students. It\u2019s a strong pathway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Office of Industry Partnerships is very thankful for the partnership with Caterpillar,” said Luna Lu, vice president of Purdue’s Office of Industry Partnerships. “This relationship is a true example of partnership where ideas are shared, and all parties achieve goals together. Caterpillar\u2019s collaboration with Purdue University continues to provide opportunities for our students and faculty.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purdue\u2019s relationship with CAT started in the early 1980s, when the company opened a Caterpillar Large Engine Center in nearby Lafayette, Indiana. Since then, CAT has made significant investments<\/a> in Purdue, opening up an office at Purdue\u2019s Convergence Center, lending its name to the Caterpillar Simulation Lab and Caterpillar Smart Foundry at Purdue Polytechnic, and hosting annual Caterpillar Days on Purdue\u2019s campus, where students have a chance to explore internship and career opportunities at CAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt Caterpillar Days, students get to interact with Caterpillar\u2019s systems firsthand,\u201d Woods said. \u201cThey even get to drive the machines remotely. They\u2019re pressing the controls, and it\u2019s making the machinery move all the way in Arizona. It\u2019s a really cool experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are so very thankful for the collaboration with Caterpillar,” said Greg Shaver, Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue. “CAT is the world\u2019s leader for construction and mining machines \u2014 which we got to see in action during this visit to Tinaja Hills. Purdue is the world’s leader in STEM education and research excellence at scale. Together, we have created an elite partnership. The research we do with, and for, CAT is advancing their technical leadership in their markets. These projects also help faculty recruit the very best students to our graduate research programs, and sustains a talent pipeline from Purdue to Caterpillar that is supremely meaningful to both organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CAT\u2019s autonomous machinery has big implications for mining and building around the world. Since this equipment doesn\u2019t need a driver to operate it, it can traverse rugged, dangerous landscapes to complete projects. It can also reach down into the depths of the earth and mine for essential resources \u2014 a job that was traditionally done by humans, usually at great personal risk. Through creating autonomous machines, CAT is ensuring this work can be done efficiently and safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we want Purdue students to understand,\u201d Woods said. \u201cConstruction, mining \u2014 these are now high-tech fields, and CAT is at the forefront of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CAT\u2019s mining machines also play a crucial role in mining critical materials like copper, which is used heavily in the development of electronics, infrastructure, computer chips and, increasingly, data centers. Ahead of every technological development, CAT is quite literally breaking new ground.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Maybe not everyone knows that CAT is a tech company. Because it\u2019s a very established company. But they\u2019re improving efficiency, they\u2019re innovating all the time, and they\u2019re prioritizing safety in all of it.<\/p>\n\n <\/blockquote>\n

Eric woods<\/p>\n

Executive Director of Industry Partnerships<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

As a representative from OIP, Woods is passionate about connecting faculty and students at Purdue with companies at the forefront of innovation. CAT is one such company, but OIP works with many companies across the globe, bolstering relationships and ensuring Purdue students and researchers have the connections they need to make an impact. Often, that means figuring out how Purdue can help companies reach their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA good partnership is about exploring what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not working,\u201d Woods said. \u201cWe love troubleshooting with companies. We meet them where they\u2019re at.\u201d’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if it means going deep into the desert or traversing heavy machinery, OIP and its faculty partners put in the legwork to support Purdue\u2019s myriad corporate relationships. According to Woods, this legwork pays dividends for students and faculty, who benefit from working with companies like CAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an impressive number, how many of our students go on to work with our industry partners.\u201d Woods said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about Purdue\u2019s Office of Industry Partnerships and get connected, visit the office\u2019s webpage.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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