Karen Plaut - May Dimensions of Discovery Introduction

May 31, 2024

Dear Colleagues,

It is a pleasure to begin this introduction with a message of congratulations. Supriyo Datta, the Thomas Duncan Distinguished Professor in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). This outstanding achievement recognizes his distinguished research and pioneering contributions to quantum science and nanotechnology through his work on current flow in nanoelectronic devices.

Purdue research is known globally for revolutionizing many scientific and technical fields, ranging from aviation and agriculture to chemistry and computer science. Proudly, we also have a long record of driving advancements in alternative energy research that dates back decades. Since 1960, for instance, Purdue has been a leader in nuclear engineering research and is home to the first and only nuclear reactor operating in Indiana. Given ever-rising global energy needs, the importance of alternative energy research at Purdue can only increase.

This edition of Dimensions of Discovery profiles several recent examples of alternative energy research in fields such as transportation, fuel cell technology, and nuclear power. This includes our recent kick off of construction of the world’s first highway test bed allowing heavy-duty electric tractor-trailers to wirelessly charge while driving. Another transportation-related example is an experimental semitruck trailer made of innovative composite materials designed to recapture its own energy and reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the environment. With more than three million tractor-trailers on US roads, these two research partnership projects offer enormous potential societal benefits.

Another research initiative seeks to expand the use of hydrogen fuel cells. A clean energy alternative to fossil fuels, fuel cells use electrochemical reactions rather than combustion to produce carbon-free energy. However, the cost and limited supply of platinum group metals needed to produce these cells limit their widespread use. Purdue physics researchers and partners are leveraging an innovative X-ray spectroscopy technique to analyze platinum group metals structures and develop an effective and less expensive alternative.

Meanwhile, extending our legacy in nuclear energy, a Purdue-led study of small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) technology was recently announced to analyze the potential impacts of adding SMRs to Indiana’s mix of energy sources and to inform the state’s energy planning for coming decades.

It is exciting to see the breadth of projects conducted across Purdue and to imagine their impact for the future!

As we approach the summer and teaching winds down, we know that research programs are often ramping up to make the next breaththrough discovery!  I wish everyone and enjoyable summer with time for intensive research, networking with colleagues, and potentially some time off!

Take care.

Karen Plaut
Executive Vice President for Research