The business makers: Purdue research and Indiana economic development.

• Author: Kaelble, Steve
• Position: Cover Story

What's the role of a big state university? Professors don't always see eye-to-eye when they debate the primacy of educating students and conducting world-class research.

Dr. Martin Jischke offers another twist. As president of Purdue University, he's set his institution on a course that also elevates economic and business development. As a recipient of state tax dollars, he believes, the university owes it to Indiana to improve the economy, by helping existing businesses to prosper and by giving birth to new ventures.

Purdue's latest marketing push suggests that the Boilermakers are really "Business-makers." The initiative touts Purdue's business-building accomplishments--such as playing a role in the launch of more than 70 companies--and a TV spot concludes, "Too bad they don't hang banners for economic development." It's a reflection of the philosophies espoused by Jischke, who is trained in aeronautics and astronautics but is fluent in the language of economic development.

"We play several roles," Jischke says. "The most obvious one is that we educate students--talented people. These students go out and find their place in the world of work, we hope in Indiana."

Second, he says, "we use the capabilities of the university to help people solve problems." Purdue's Technical Assistance Program, he notes, helps hundreds of companies every year that bring a specific technical program or ask for help making manufacturing processes more lean.

"A third way we play a role is by using our campus for innovation, for research and development," he continues. Among the most prominent initiatives: the longtime R&D hotbed known as the Purdue Research Park, and the currently unfolding Discovery Park complex of research-related facilities. Such developments, says Jischke, help create technology jobs, "and these tend to be high-paying jobs with high multipliers."

Thus, from the mouth of an academic, comes the lingo of economic development. "You have to grow your economy through these kinds of enterprises. You've got to be constantly creating new, businesses, some of which will grow into big employers."

To that Jischke adds one more factor that reveals an appreciation of economic development: "We play an important role in contributing to the qualify of life."

PURDUE'S ROLE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

"Land-grant universities have been involved in economic-development-like activities for a very long time," Jischke observes. In Purdue's case, that economic...