Purdue, which has maintained a strategic focus on research combined with years of commitment in people and facilities, ranks No. 10 globally for research excellence in the 2026 Interdisciplinary Science Rankings report released Thursday (Nov. 20) by Times Higher Education. Purdue also was atop the Big Ten and No. 3 among U.S. public universities.
Purdue is home to some of higher education’s brightest minds — faculty members whose academic and research excellence augment the university’s reputation as one of the most consequential public institutions in the world. Their legacy as extraordinary educators and incredible innovators is often cemented through authorship and accolades, and few people know more about books and awards than the members of Purdue’s High BAR team. Housed in the Office of the Provost, High BAR — an acronym for books, awards and recognition — is advancing Purdue’s culture of scholarship and appreciation through the Purdue Books Initiative and the Faculty Recognition Program.
Edited by Jennifer Bay, professor of English, and written by Angie Klink (LA’81), “Purdue’s Female Founders: The Untold History of Trailblazing Women Faculty,” chronicles and celebrates the fortitude and achievements of the foremothers of Purdue University. It is a collection of profiles of women faculty who shaped the institution from its beginning in the late 1800s through the latter half of the 20th century.
Holiday spirit will make a return to the Purdue Memorial Union with the arrival of this year’s Christmas tree Dec. 1. The tree will be delivered to the Great Hall around noon. A tree-lighting ceremony will take place from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Great Hall.
Anthony Cawdron has been planning and leading events at Westwood — the home of Purdue presidents and their families –– for over two decades. From hosting prestigious guests like U.S. secretaries of state and first ladies at Westwood to teaching students how to shine at networking events and job interviews, Cawdron’s etiquette insights are a must-hear. “This Is Purdue” aired this episode last November and it’s become one of the podcast's most popular, so we’re sharing again just in time for the holidays.
