Defense Innovation

A collaborative mindset to advance our national security and defense.

Purdue University has always had a resolute focus on serving those who serve our country, and its commitment to national security is paramount as a land-grant university. How we respond to challenges and unprecedented opportunities is why Purdue is now further strengthening its endeavors as a thought leader for national security and defense by announcing Defense Innovation, its newest Purdue Engineering Initiative (PEI).

The Defense Innovation PEI will assist with alignment, coordination and the promotion of pockets of activity around national security and defense to provide support and visibility. It will feature multidisciplinary collaborations across Purdue faculty, other academic institutions, industry, and foundations to incubate research centers, create novel IP portfolios, and accelerate commercialization in select engineering areas.

To learn more about the Defense Innovation PEI, please contact Stephen Beaudoin sbeaudoi@purdue.edu or Michael Sangid msangid@purdue.edu.

The Defense Innovation PEI Five Initial Thrusts

  • Help increase the scope, scale and impact of our Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Energy (DOE)-focused research in Purdue Engineering.
  • Help create undergraduate and graduate pipelines in Purdue Engineering for defense workforce development.
  • Help convene key stakeholders to create faster pathways and accelerators for defense tech-based patents, start-ups and tech commercialization.
  • Increase national visibility for Purdue Engineering in defense innovation; leverage subject matter expertise to create more opportunities to participate in policy conversations.
  • Increase partnerships with key DOD and DOE entities.

Addressing Current and Near-Future Challenges

Defense Innovation will investigate and support a wide range of technological disciplines in the context of their current and near-future relevance to challenges to our national security, including energetic materials, propulsion, hypersonics, organic chemistry, biotechnology, electrochemistry, cybersecurity, crystallization, supply chains, drones, advanced materials, manufacturing of high-performance materials, batteries, electronic warfare, systems, and additive manufacturing.

As the largest top-ranked engineering program in the nation, Purdue Engineering has played an important role in helping the military since our founding in 1874. This initiative is critical to ensuring that we can respond quickly and efficiently with programs in place to support our armed forces now and in the future."

Arvind Raman

John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering