2008 Honorary Degree
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Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1952, Landis lived in the same city until he came to Purdue in 1974. Before attending Purdue, Landis received his bachelor degree in chemistry from Kent State University. While at Purdue, he received master's degree and doctorate in analytical chemistry, graduating in 1978.
Dr. Landis began his career at the Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Mich., quickly moving up the ranks of management to vice president. In 1997, Upjohn merged with Pharmacia, where he became senior vice president of preclinical development, until it was acquired by Pfizer in 2003. From 2003-07, he was senior vice president for pharmaceutical sciences at Schering-Plough, a research-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in New Jersey with more than 50,000 employees worldwide.
During his career, Dr. Landis has played a key role in the development of more than a dozen pharmaceutical drugs that are currently used in the treatment of diseases such as diabetes, central nervous systems diseases, cancer and as anti-infective agents, resulting in significant worldwide health benefits. He also has served on numerous professional and company boards and academic advisory panels.
He has been a member of the Dean's Advisory Panel for the College of Science, and he is now a member of the Chemistry Department Advisory Committee and the Dean's Leadership Council for the College of Science. He received the School of Science's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1994.
Dr. Landis and his wife, Sharon, currently live in Carmel, Ind. They sponsor a scholarship in the School of Electrical Engineering named for Sharon's late father, Giles Morrill, who also was a Purdue graduate.
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