The Persistent Pursuit

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Taking Flight at Purdue University

Heroes, scientists, record-breakers. Explore the rich history of Purdue aviation.

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Taking Flight at Purdue University

Boilermakers have never been afraid to go first. To go faster, higher, farther. Our storied history in aviation is full of Boilermakers whose small steps led to giant leaps — legends, like Amelia Earhart and Sully Sullenberger (MS industrial psychology ’73), and pioneers, like Cliff Turpin (BS engineering 1908), the first Purdue graduate to become a pilot.

Purdue alumnus Eugene Cernan walks on the moon during the Apollo 17 mission.

Purdue Boilermakers in Space

Few universities can match the impact that Purdue has had upon the U.S. space program.    In addition to the many Purdue astronauts who have already traveled to space — from early legends like Virgil “Gus” Grissom and Neil Armstrong to modern-day Boilermakers working on the International Space Station and as commercial astronauts — the university continues to produce innovations and engineering talent that will someday allow a new generation of adventurous Boilermakers to travel to Mars and beyond. 
Purdue researchers Dave Cappalleri and Georges Adam work in microrobotics.

Research at Purdue

As a land-grant institution, Purdue University was created in part to conduct research that improves the lives of people in Indiana and beyond. Whether feeding the hungry, healing the sick or introducing the next great technological innovation, Boilermaker researchers remain persistent in their pursuit of new knowledge that will change the world.

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Purdue University has been named one of Fast Company’s top 20 Most Innovative Companies of 2023,

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Meet the pilot from our ‘Boilermakers in Flight’ video

Brittany Gallarneau applies lessons learned at Purdue in her career as a first officer for Envoy Air  When Amelia Earhart came to Purdue in 1935 as a consultant on careers for women, she imagined a future in which young women …
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Equity in the air

Purdue Pilots Inc. generates enthusiasm for flying by providing low-cost access to flight rentals, lessons  When it comes to flying credentials, it doesn’t get much better than the student organization Purdue Pilots Inc. (PPI).  PPI came to life in 1956, …
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