Purdue names 2 new leaders for research

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Karen Plaut, executive vice president for research, has announced appointments in two key leadership positions in Purdue’s Office of Research. Jennifer (Perkins) Wonder has been named assistant vice president for strategic initiatives, and Kaethe Beck was named assistant vice president for strategic impact in life and health sciences for the Institutes and Centers in Discovery Park District at Purdue.

“Jennifer and Kaethe are both strong leaders, and I look forward to their valuable contributions to our research enterprise,” Plaut said. “They will play important roles in driving our strategic research priorities forward, helping research faculty excel in their work and contributing to overall research excellence at Purdue.”

Jennifer Wonder, assistant vice president for strategic initiatives

Wonder is rejoining the Office of Research. In this newly created role, she will provide critical leadership and direction for large interdisciplinary initiatives, special projects and key divisional priorities to advance the office’s vision for research excellence. She will also serve as a member of the leadership team, reporting to Plaut.

Wonder brings deep and broad experience, having served in various roles at Purdue, including most recently as director of strategic initiatives for the College of Agriculture. Additionally, she worked closely with many functions and programs within the Office of Research. She spent several years executing strategic projects, including safely reopening campus spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining Purdue in 2020, Wonder held leadership positions in various non-profit and philanthropic organizations.

“I am excited to return to the Office of Research to help advance research and innovation across Purdue,” she said. “In pursuit of our research goals, I look forward to partnering with leadership, colleges, and institutes and centers to support our world-class researchers who are tackling real-world societal challenges.”

Kaethe Beck, assistant vice president for strategic impact in life and health sciences

As assistant vice president, Beck will report to Dan Delaurentis, vice president of Discovery Park District Institutes. She will focus on maximizing the impact of teams in the life sciences, including teams awarded funding through Purdue’s Life and Health Sciences Summit held in 2023.

“We are thrilled that Kaethe Beck has returned to Purdue,” Delaurentis said. “Her unique talents and skills are tailor-made for the mission she has, which is embedded in her title: to enhance and drive Purdue’s strategic impact in the life and health sciences.”

Returning to Purdue, Beck brings a wealth of experience in the life sciences and beyond. Previously, as Purdue’s director of operations for life science, she was instrumental in the creation of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience and the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease and the launch of the Lilly strategic partnership.

Both appointments took effect in February.

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 nearly 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 new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, and Purdue Computes — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.