February 8, 2008

Purdue's presidential inaugural to feature Global University Convocation

France A. Córdova
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C-SPAN President and CEO Brian Lamb, a Purdue alumnus, will moderate the convocation, which will be held 2:30-4:30 p.m. April 10 in Stewart Center's Loeb Playhouse. At least seven panelists from three continents will form the discussion group. A symposium of Purdue faculty also is being planned for April 11 around selected interdisciplinary topics. Both of those events will be open to the public. The inauguration ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. April 11 in the Elliott Hall of Music.

"Purdue draws students and faculty from throughout the world," said President France A. Córdova. "The university also has a strong tradition of research and engagement in other nations. In an era of global economics and communications, all universities are examining their roles. Purdue will use the occasion of this inaugural to engage some of the best minds in the world on these topics. This convocation will draw on a broad global talent base that will provide valuable insights for everyone in higher education."

Members of the panel include:

* Jorge Allende, vice president for research and development, University of Chile

* Robert Berdahl, president of the Association of American Universities

* Gebisa Ejeta, Distinguished Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics and International Agriculture at Purdue.

*  Nina V. Fedoroff, science and technology adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State

*  Maurilio Alves Moreira, dean of research and graduate studies, Federal University of Vicosa, Brazil

* Sigmar Wittig, rector emeritus, University of Karlsruhe; chair emeritus, European Space Agency and professor of turbomachinery, University of Karlsruhe, Germany

* Leah Jamieson, John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering and Ransburg Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

* Renu Khator, president of the University of Houston and chancellor of the University of Houston system. Khator received her master's and doctoral degrees in political science from Purdue and is a scholar in global environmental policy.

Córdova was selected in May as the 11th president of Purdue. She took office in July, after having served as chancellor of University of California, Riverside, since 2002. She previously served at the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she had been vice chancellor for research and a professor of physics. Before that, she was the first woman and youngest person to hold the position of NASA chief scientist, working on projects that included the Hubble Space Telescope.

The convocation, part of the Discovery Lecture Series, is funded, in part, by the Lilly Endowment, Inc."" to all news releases that mention the Convocation.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Joseph L. Bennett, vice president for university relations, (765) 494-2082, jlbennett@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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