May 16, 2008

Córdova to connect with Clark, Floyd counties on community visit

France A. Córdova
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Purdue President France A. Córdova and other university officials will visit MedVenture Technology, Amatrol Inc., Samtec Inc. and the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana, among other locations. She also will meet with government officials and visit with alumni.

Victor L. Lechtenberg, Purdue's vice provost for engagement, said the university welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with community leaders.

"Having recently established the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana, Purdue is poised to support the creation of high-tech jobs in this region of the state and educate the work force needed to fill those jobs," Lechtenberg said. "But we don't want to stop there. To accomplish even more, we need to exchange ideas with business leaders and government officials along with concerned citizens."

Several activities are scheduled for the visit:

* 9:30 a.m. - Tour MedVenture Technology, 2301 Centennial Blvd., Jeffersonville. MedVenture develops and manufactures complex innovative medical device technology. It specializes in surgical products, hand-held devices, catheter-based technologies and disposables.

* 10:40 a.m. - Tour Amatrol Inc., 2400 Centennial Blvd., Jeffersonville. Amatrol manufactures educational laboratory equipment and simulation software that promotes skill-based, interactive technical learning. Product uses range from engaging high school students in the learning of basic science and math to teaching hands-on skills with the latest technology. Purdue is a partner with Amatrol in the mission to increase Indiana high school students' competency in science, technology, engineering and math. Amatrol employs several graduates from the Purdue College of Technology at New Albany. President Paul Perkins and Chief Operating Officer Todd Perkins, a Purdue alumnus, also serve on the college's New Albany advisory board.

* Noon - Meet with government officials at the One Southern Indiana Chamber, 4100 Charlestown Road, New Albany. Córdova will speak about how Purdue is collaborating with southeast Indiana on economic development initiatives.

* 1:30 p.m. - Visit Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana at the southeast corner of I-265 and Charlestown Road, New Albany. The facility will contain 18,000 square feet of business incubator offices, an economic development office, the Floyd County Purdue Extension office and an office for Purdue's Technical Assistance Program, which connects companies with Purdue resources and assists them in implementing state-of-the art technologies. As they grow, the companies will have an opportunity to move into the adjacent technology park.

Purdue's College of Technology will use the remaining space - about 12,000 square feet - for classrooms, faculty offices and laboratories, including the Paul W. Ogle Electrical Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology Laboratories, for which the Jeffersonville-based Paul Ogle Foundation Inc. is providing $1 million. The additional space, together with the college's existing New Albany classrooms at Indiana University Southeast, will enable the college to offer five recently approved bachelor's degrees. The center is expected to accommodate new businesses and classes by the fall.

* 3 p.m. - Tour Samtec Inc., 520 Park East Blvd., New Albany. Founded in 1976, Samtec manufactures computer electronics, which are distributed worldwide. President John Shine and his family donated 40 acres of land for the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana.

* 5:30 p.m. - Visit with Purdue alumni and friends at Kye's restaurant, 500 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville. Alumni can register for the reception through the Purdue Alumni Association Web site at https://www.purduealum.org/communityvisits .

Córdova was selected in May 2007 as Purdue's 11th president. 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.

Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

Source: Victor L. Lechtenberg, (765) 494-9095, vll@purdue.edu

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

Note to Journalists: The media are invited to tour the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana. To make arrangements, contact Marydell Forbes at (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

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