September 2007

A monthly letter from President France A. Córdova

Since joining the Purdue family, I have met many remarkable people, including some very bright students and highly accomplished faculty, staff and alumni. In today's letter, I want to tell you about two Purdue professors whose achievements are testimonials to the power of discovery and of the human spirit.

* Leslie Geddes, the Showalter Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Engineering, has been awarded the National Medal of Technology, our nation's highest honor for technological innovation.

* Philip Nelson, the Scholle Chair Professor in Food Processing, has won the World Food Prize - known as the Nobel of agriculture - for his work in food processing. He will accept the prize formally on October 18 in Des Moines, Iowa.

In July, I had the privilege of accompanying Dr. Geddes to the White House for the presentation of his medal by President Bush. The award recognized more than 50 years of research that has created innovations ranging from burn treatments to miniature defibrillators and ligament repair to tiny blood pressure monitors for premature babies.

Perhaps even more amazing than his long list of discoveries and the many honors they have brought him are Dr. Geddes' continued high energy and creativity at age 86. Sixteen years after retiring from Purdue, he continues to come to his lab daily well before dawn. In September, news media carried reports that he has developed a new method of cardiopulmonary resuscitation that uses pressure on the abdomen to replace traditional CPR. This improves blood flow through the heart by more than 25 percent. He developed the technique after Sandra Ralston, a graduate student in nursing, observed the effects of pushing on the patient's abdomen during CPR. Dr. Geddes refined the technique and created a pressure applicator that makes the procedure even more efficient.

Dr. Geddes' other discoveries include:

* A regenerative tissue graft made from a layer of a pig's intestines that has been used by surgeons to treat more than 200,000 patients so far.

* An automated miniature defibrillator that is small enough to implant.

* A pacemaker that automatically increases heart rate during exercise.

* A portable electrocardiograph that patients can use to monitor the electrical patterns of their own hearts.

* A miniature cuff that fits over the tiny limbs of premature infants to measure blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates, and the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Dr. Nelson developed a method of aseptic processing that allows fruits and vegetables to be stored and transported without refrigeration. Because of his discoveries, giant tankers are able to move up to 8 million gallons of food products across oceans. More than 90 percent of the approximately 24 million tons of fresh tomatoes harvested globally each year are aseptically processed and packaged for year-round use in various food products. His work has transformed the global food industry and also has important economic benefits for Indiana. The technology has allowed Indiana entrepreneurs to build successful businesses that use crops raised by Hoosier farmers.

In addition to his research, Dr. Nelson has been an award-winning teacher and an outstanding administrator. As head of the Department of Food Science, he built the program into a national leader. More than 150 companies interacted with the department last year.

Drs. Geddes and Nelson are outstanding examples of the power of a university to turn discovery into benefits for others. They have the very special ability to think about problems in original ways and to develop real-world applications for their ideas. The results improve - and often save - lives and create new economic opportunities. At the same time, Purdue students enjoy the advantages of learning from scholars who are working at the frontiers of knowledge.

Sincerely,
France A. Córdova
President

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