Purdue Today.

July 24, 2020

Current web edition

Protect Purdue

Faculty and Staff News

BCC, alumni organizations sponsoring ‘Where Do We Go from Here?’ web event on Sunday

The Purdue University Black Cultural Center, Purdue Black Alumni Organization and Purdue Alumni Association will sponsor an online panel discussion titled “Where Do We Go from Here?: Dealing with Systematic Racism at Purdue and Beyond” at 4 p.m. Sunday (July 26).

Protect Purdue

Reminder: Call the Protect Purdue Health Center if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
Protect Purdue Plan

Things to Know

Purdue enters agreement to reduce cost of licenses for Zoom
Plagiarism checker Turnitin Originality available systemwide starting this fall

Things to Do

Nominations invited for Community Spirit Award

In the Spotlight

Briony Horgan, backdrop of Mars scene and rover

Has life existed beyond Earth? Purdue professor going to great lengths to find out.

When the NASA Mars rover Perseverance launches in the next few weeks, it will travel to Jezero Crater, which preserves evidence of a time when rivers flowed on Mars. This scientifically important landing site within Jezero Crater was selected by NASA following a presentation by Briony Horgan, associate professor of planetary science, who is a member of the Perseverance science team.

Additional News

Maggie O'Haire with service dog

PTSD service dogs' most important job is helping veterans with anxiety

Science has shown that service dogs can benefit some veterans with PTSD. But the exact role service dogs play in the day-to-day lives of veterans – and the helpfulness of the tasks they perform – is less known. A recent study led by Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that the task of disrupting episodes of anxiety ranked among the most important and most often used.

Jeremy frank, baseball memorabilia

Student's Twitter account can assist with keeping baseball fans engaged

The wait for the 2020 Major League Baseball season is over. A shortened season began Thursday, exciting many baseball fans including a Purdue University sophomore-to-be who runs an increasingly popular baseball Twitter page. Jeremy Frank, a data science major, runs @MLBRandomStats, which features past and present baseball statistics and MLB commentary.

Research

Majority agree masks have a role in US response to COVID-19
Researchers in various studies looking for participants

General

Indiana farmland values increase, but signs point to potential COVID-19 slump

Bringing Our Best

Thumbs Up: Energy and Utilities staff

I would like to thank the Energy and Utilities staff for all of your efforts during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. You have shown strong adaptability by adjusting the hours you work and the way you perform tasks in order to minimize risk and keep everyone safe. You have responded quickly to changing policies and new responsibilities to continue to provide critical utility services to our campus customers. Your dedication and hard work have allowed learning and research to continue on campus, including research and testing specifically for COVID-19 . I am very proud of the way everyone has come together. -- Matt High (Energy and Utilities)

* Submit a "Thumbs Up" or send a story idea for "Bringing Our Best" to PurdueToday@purdue.edu to share how Purdue University is a community that is persistent in its pursuit to build a better world together, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Events

Virtual events this week
Events information

Purdue in the News

Here is a sampling of recent news reports about Purdue from media across the nation and the world.

Inside Higher Ed: Teaching contact tracing
ABC News Radio: With eyes on reopening, some colleges turn to saliva coronavirus test for students
WXIN/WTTV: Full Steam Ahead podcast, Episode 61: Summer commencement speaker Aaron Benjamin
WISH-TV: Water safety checks critical before schools reopen, expert warns
Ladders: This major myth about women at work was just dispelled
Purdue Today is the official Purdue University communication for faculty and staff