Purdue Military Research Institute

PMRI

Overview Student Fellowship Application (PDF) Faculty Project Application Educational Programs Research Programs

Overall Program Highlights

No-cost, in-resident graduate education (PhD preference, but Master’s degree candidates accepted as well) for active duty US military officers from the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force and Space Force are welcome to apply for our PMRI Research Fellowship.
Cadet/Midshipman Summer Undergraduate Research Program for Academy and Purdue ROTC students. Mirrors Purdue’s Engineering SURF program where possible, but of shorter duration. As well, it includes undergraduate veterans from other universities such as the Veterans to Energy Careers (VTEC).
Faculty Exchange Program to increase our understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities, strengthen our partnership, and facilitate building trust and commitment.
View our photo gallery.

Inaugural Defense and Security Research Symposium of the Purdue Military Research Institute (PDF)

Contact

J. Eric Dietz, PhD, PE
Director, Purdue Homeland Security Institute
Director, Purdue Military Research Institute
Professor of Computer and Information Technology
Phone: 765-494-8130
jedietz@purdue.edu

Joe McKenna
Managing Director, Purdue Military Research Institute (PMRI)
USAF, Colonel, (Ret)
Phone: 765-496-4274
mckenn28@purdue.edu

David Hankins
Senior Project Manager, Purdue Military Research Institute (PMRI)
USAF, Colonel, (Ret)
Phone: 765-427-8621
dhankins@purdue.edu

Maddie Hullinger
Communications Director, Purdue Military Research Institute (PMRI)
Phone: 765-496-4026
hull@purdue.edu

Officer Recruitment Program

We work with the Services and Service Academies to match qualified applicants with research and faculty.
STEM PhD candidates are a high priority, but we do take students from other academic backgrounds if Service needs are identified. Highly qualified MS candidates are considered as well.
It is anticipated that Services will allow PhD candidates 3 years to complete (assuming the student is coming w/a thesis-based MS) and up to 2 years for a MS candidate.

My goal is to make Purdue the best national defense and security university in the nation.”

Mung Chiang

President of Purdue University

Roscoe H. George Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Newsroom/Event Calendar

Officer Success

In 2025, we recruited student #306 into PMRI…we believe the largest graduate program for military officers outside of the Air Force Institute of Technology or the Naval Post Graduate School
This large contingent of students offers numerous shared touch-points for connecting with fellow officers to assist with not only academic success, but sharing social events or dealing with life challenges
Many families are here…and again, many touch-points as they interact with other military families
We welcome grad school officers regardless of their source of funding into the PMRI family
Our students come with a wide array of backgrounds and offer opportunities to get to know military members from sister services and better understand their missions
Our success rates for on-time graduation exceeds 95%!

Get Started NOW!

Your first step is to talk to your Services detailer/personnel/human resources POC regarding the potential of being released for this in-resident program. Program questions should be directed to Dave Hankins, Colonel, USAF Retired, dhankins@purdue.edu. For degree program information and graduate school application, please go to: https://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/academics/graduate-degree-programs.html.

Why Purdue?

Founded in 1869 as a land-grant university, Purdue is a world renowned research university with approximately 45,000 students, 2,400 faculty and 3,000 staff. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana about one hour north of Indianapolis and 2 hours south of Chicago, Purdue is known both nationally and internationally for its premier engineering programs with high rankings, top faculty, amazing facilities and famous alumni! Purdue routinely scores high in accredited national and world university rankings for many of their other distinguished academic programs. Purdue is comprised of 12 schools and colleges, and offers over 70 graduate programs at the West Lafayette campus. Equally important, Purdue is a military friendly school with over 500 student veterans on campus and is also home to thriving Reserve Officer Training Corps programs.

A program of Purdue’s Homeland Security Institute

Video Produced by the Purdue for Life Foundation

2025 Purdue Military Research Institute group photo — 2025 Purdue Military Research Institute