This Is Purdue

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This Is Purdue episodes

November 12The Mosquito Bowl, WWII and Purdue’s Undefeated 1943 Football Team
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Cory Palm (MA public relations and sport management ’08), director of broadcast services for Purdue Athletics and author of “Perfect Warriors: Touchdown Tony Butkovich and the 1943 Purdue Football Team.” As a proud Purdue alumnus with a decades-long broadcasting career, Cory is an expert in all things Big Ten athletics.

Today, he’s diving into “Perfect Warriors” and his documentary of the same name, which has aired on the Big Ten Network more than a dozen times. A focal point of both works is Tony Butkovich, a Boilermaker, All-American fullback and Marine who is depicted in a new film called “The Mosquito Bowl.” It’s an incredible story about the sacrifices that the Greatest Generation made during World War II. Cory provided key historical insights to director Peter Berg during the film’s preproduction process. The movie will be released on Netflix on Nov. 25.

In honor of Veterans Day, join us as we get an inside look at this major motion picture and discuss Purdue’s World War II contributions.

In this episode, you will:
Learn more about Purdue’s undefeated 1943 football team, including some players’ unique position as students, star athletes and service members who were part of the V-12 Navy College Training Program — a World War II initiative that produced college-educated officers for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

Hear more about Purdue President Edward Elliott’s key role in the country’s World War II efforts, from advocating for the V-12 program to serving as chief of the Division of Professional and Technical Employment and Training within the War Manpower Commission.

Discover more about Butkovich — the son of an Illinois coal miner who emigrated from Croatia — who set a Purdue single-season record with 16 rushing touchdowns in just seven games, a record he now shares with Boilermaker great Kory Sheets.

Find out more about the Mosquito Bowl — the legendary pickup football game played on Guadalcanal island on Christmas Eve in 1944 — and how it was the last game Butkovich and other college football stars like him played just months before the Battle of Okinawa.

Tune in for key takeaways about “The Mosquito Bowl” film, which is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger’s book of the same name, and what it was like for Cory to connect with prominent director Peter Berg during scripting and preproduction.

Get insights into Purdue’s vital role during World War II as a land-grant institution, including its support of the GI Bill, which helped veterans adjust to civilian life and increased student enrollment.

Hear more about Cory’s role at Purdue Athletics, including why he’s passionate about athletics storytelling and the premise for his new book, which covers the 1903 Purdue train wreck that killed 17 people, including 14 Boilermaker football players.

Learn more about why the Mosquito Bowl still matters today, the enduring legacy of Purdue’s undefeated 1943 football team and how the sacrifices these men made were pivotal to the broader war effort.

You don’t want to miss this episode with a Boilermaker who’s uncovering Purdue Athletics’ unique military history — and helping bring these stories to global audiences!

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32 min
October 29Why Are Grocery Prices High? The Story Behind Inflation and Supply Chains
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Trey Malone, the Boehlje Chair in Managerial Economics for Agribusiness and associate professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University.

Trey is an award-winning and nationally recognized agricultural economist. His timely insights on food-system trends have been featured in major outlets like The New York Times, USA Today, Time and CNBC. Before joining Purdue’s Department of Agricultural Economics, he held faculty positions at the University of Arkansas and Michigan State University.

Today, Trey is breaking down topics that regularly grab headlines, especially during this holiday season: the rise in grocery prices and the overall state of the U.S. food system.

In this episode, you will:
Learn more about the realities behind the U.S. food supply chain, including how multiple factors like inflation and price volatility can impact the price of cooking and meal staples like eggs.

Hear more about how the salience (or importance) and familiarity of food in our everyday lives fuel common misunderstandings and fears around our food system.

Discover more about the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the price volatility of food and household staples like toilet paper — and why the U.S. food system is more resilient than we think.

Find out how social media influencers and viral trends impact the food supply chain and how agricultural economists at Purdue use social listening data to predict future trends.

Get insights into the current state and future of our food system, from the popularity of food delivery apps like Instacart and how they’re changing consumer decision-making to why agricultural economists like Trey are focused on food affordability and nutrition across income categories.

Hear more about Trey’s upbringing and journey to Purdue, from his early years working at his family’s 1,400-acre cattle ranch in Oklahoma to gaining a PhD in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University — and how this background motivates him to help farms and businesses thrive.

Learn more about how Trey is preparing Boilermakers to lead and innovate in agricultural economics and how he’s creating opportunities for them to help farmers and agribusiness make key decisions.

Tune in for tangible tips on how consumers can navigate rising grocery bills and save money this Thanksgiving — including avoiding impulse buys and finding deals at major retailers like Walmart and Aldi.

You don’t want to miss this episode with a Purdue professor and agricultural economist who’s expanding the way we think about our food — and the people who grow it.

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40 min
October 15The Hobby Revival: Creativity, Nostalgia and Community
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Haley Larsen (PhD English ’21), story lead of marketing and measurement at Pinterest.

As a storytelling expert and creative strategist for a global visual engine and social media platform, Haley’s helping us dive into the fun, trending world of tactile hobbies — from knitting and pottery to mahjong and so much more!

Haley is also a proud Purdue alumna with a background in English literature and culture. She’ll unpack the factors behind the recent hobby revival — fueled by Gen Z — and how Pinterest is meeting this moment.

In this episode, you will:
Learn more about how a pushback against hustle culture, a desire for connection and joy, and nostalgia for a prephone world are driving Gen Z’s interest in grandma-and-grandpa-core hobbies like crochet, scrapbooking and bird-watching.

Hear more about Pinterest’s unique position as a major social platform that not only offers its users the ability to collect and curate visual inspiration but also encourages them to get offline to pursue their hobbies.

Discover more about Haley’s favorite offline hobbies, including pottery, and how they’re pushing her outside of her creativity comfort zone and helping her find community.

Get insights into the paradox of online hobby trends, including how this points to a broader human pattern and why engaging with online communities can help you develop your offline hobbies.

Find out more about how slow, manual hobbies can improve your well-being and why the “friction” that comes with process-based activities is vital for self-reflection and self-development.

Tune in for key takeaways from Pinterest’s Hobbies Trend Report, and how the platform’s rich search data predicts top hobby trends for the year, including “Kitchen Witch,” “Home Cafe Engineering” and “Handmade Hacker.”

Learn more about Haley’s role and day to day as a story lead at Pinterest and how her Purdue liberal arts training set her up for career success with meaningful and measurable skills.

You don’t want to miss this episode with a Boilermaker and creative who’s helping to inspire hobby enthusiasts across the world!

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50 min
September 28 Finding Amelia: Part 4 | The Search for Amelia Earhart’s Missing Plane
In the final episode of “Finding Amelia,” we’re talking to Steve Schultz, Purdue University’s senior vice president and general counsel. As a field assistant on the search expedition to identify Amelia Earhart’s missing plane, Steve might play a role in solving one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century.

He dives into the new evidence that sparked the Purdue Research Foundation and Archaeological Legacy Institute’s joint effort to search for Amelia’s plane and exclusive details about the upcoming journey to Nikumaroro, an island in the western Pacific Ocean. From encountering coconut crabs to using machetes to cut through the jungle, the team will have to brave rough terrain on this expedition.

You don’t want to miss the fourth and final episode of the miniseries “Finding Amelia,” where we discuss Purdue’s persistent pursuit of answers to one of the world’s greatest mysteries.

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35 min
September 28 Finding Amelia: Part 3 | Uncovering Amelia Earhart’s Rare Artifacts and Memorabilia
In the third episode of “Finding Amelia,” we’re talking to Katey Watson, the France A. Córdova Archivist of Purdue Archives and Special Collections.

Katey manages Purdue Libraries’ Amelia Earhart Collection and is sharing the personal items Amelia left behind – including her iconic aviator goggles, leather flight helmet and brown suede jacket.

Katey also tells the story of why Amelia’s husband, George Palmer Putnam, along with his granddaughter Sally Putnam Chapman, chose to donate these significant historical items to Purdue University after the legendary Boilermaker’s disappearance.

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22 min
September 28 Finding Amelia: Part 2 | Amelia Earhart’s Plane”
In the second episode of “Finding Amelia,” we’re talking to Chad Pittman, president and CEO of the Purdue Research Foundation. He shares the story behind Amelia Earhart’s famed Purdue-funded Lockheed Electra 10-E airplane and how she planned to return it to West Lafayette once her around-the-world flight was complete.

Don’t miss the second episode of this first-of-its-kind “This Is Purdue” series about this world-famous Boilermaker and legendary aviator.

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14 min
September 28 Finding Amelia: Part 1 | Who Was Amelia Earhart?
On what would’ve been Amelia Earhart’s 129th birthday — July 24, 2026 — the Purdue Research Foundation and the Archaeological Legacy Institute announced a renewed joint effort to identify Amelia Earhart’s missing university-sponsored plane. Ahead of this search expedition, “This Is Purdue” is taking you inside one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century with our special miniseries “Finding Amelia.”

In the first episode of “Finding Amelia,” we’re talking to Kelly Hiller, Purdue’s chief marketing officer. During her 20 years at Purdue, Kelly has led several marketing campaigns inspired by Amelia’s persistence, expanding her commitment to celebrate female trailblazers.

She discusses the famous aviator’s journey to Purdue as an advisor within the Department of Aeronautics and her life before becoming a household name. Plus, we dive into the parts of her life and career that make Amelia one of the most iconic figures in history.

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23 min
September 17Why Focus Feels Harder Today and How To Train Your Brain
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to two professors in the Daniels School of Business: Allie Gabriel, the Thomas J. Howatt Chair in Management in the Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management Department and director of the Center for Working Well, and Kate Zipay, associate professor of organizational behavior and human resources.

Allie and Kate are leading experts and researchers on employee well-being, work-life balance, performance and motivation. They were recently nominated for the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2026, which recognizes 30 emerging management strategists from around the world.

This award-winning duo joins the podcast for a thought-provoking conversation about how professionals can retrain their brains to master productivity and focus in today’s digital age — at work and home.

In this episode, you will:
Learn more about the difference between productivity and activity — and how “doomscrolling” on social media and constant email, Teams and Slack notifications can undermine our daily work tasks.

Discover more about focus and cognitive stamina, like what these buzzwords really mean and how professionals can build their capacity for deep, meaningful work.

Hear Allie’s and Kate’s tangible tips for retraining your brain to conquer digital distractions — like locking down your phone — and how they’re teaching their students to improve their digital well-being.

Find out how to build a balanced “work diet” and why deep-thinking and low-stakes tasks are both vital parts of a healthy professional lifestyle.

Dive deeper into how organizations can better support employee well-being and productivity and why leaders should start normalizing rest and recovery.

Hear more about how “early bird” and “night owl” labels can inhibit our self-growth and how to plan your work schedule around the times that work best for you while still being collaborative.

Explore why high performers are more susceptible to burnout and how rethinking your identity as a “doer” and setting boundaries can help improve your overall well-being.

Learn more about Allie’s and Kate’s goals for the future and how Purdue is at the forefront of performance, productivity and well-being research.

Gain insights into using AI to enhance productivity — and why it can give users a false sense of efficiency due to a lack of psychological ownership.

You don’t want to miss this episode with two innovative Purdue business professors and researchers who are transforming the way we work — and how we take care of ourselves.

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55 min
September 03The Future of Sports Careers: From the NFL Fan Experience to Data Analytics
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Stephanie Pemberton (BA communication ’05), senior vice president of marketing for the Indianapolis Colts.

For over 20 years, Stephanie has worked in multiple marketing and community relations roles within the Colts organization. As a proud Purdue alumna and marketing executive in the NFL, she has key insights into the future of sports careers and how students can break into the industry through its many diverse pathways.

The Indiana native and sports marketing leader joins host Kate Young for an exciting interview from the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center — near Purdue’s Indianapolis campus — to celebrate Purdue’s powerful new partnership launch with the Colts!

In this episode, you will:
Learn more about how the sports industry has evolved in the past few decades and what careers are the most in demand, including areas like fan experience, sports performance and data analytics.

Find out what skills and experiences students need to gain if they want to land careers with professional sports organizations like the Colts, and what qualities set successful candidates apart.

Hear how rapidly evolving technology like AI is being integrated into the Colts organization — and the NFL at large.

Discover more about Stephanie’s background and path to working for the Colts, including how her time as an intern with Purdue Athletics helped launch her decadeslong NFL career.

Tune in for more about Stephanie's vision for Purdue’s new partnership with the Colts and how it will accelerate the talent pipeline in Indianapolis.

Learn more about what energizes Stephanie about the Colts’ future — like building a global audience — and why her commitment to the fans and community inspires her every day.

You don’t want to miss this episode with a Boilermaker who’s invested in fostering the next generation of sports leaders!

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41 min
August 20Is TikTok Lying to You About Protein? The Truth About Nutrition Trends
In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Lauren Link (BS dietetics/health, fitness and nutrition ’11, MS health and kinesiology ’19), assistant athletics director of sports nutrition for Purdue Athletics.

As a registered dietitian, Lauren and her team manage the menu planning, nutrition education and food service for 18 varsity teams at Purdue, including basketball, football, volleyball and soccer. She’s also a proud graduate of Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences and a former collegiate athlete herself.

The nutrition expert sits down with host Kate Young to debunk the myths — and explain the realities — behind the recent health crazes dominating our social media feeds.

In this episode, you will:
Learn more about what’s fueling viral nutrition trends on TikTok, including the protein craze and “fibermaxxing,” and why we should be cautious about who we get our health information from.

Hear how doctors, dietitians and nutritionists can use social media to combat health and nutrition misinformation.

Discover more about the national rise in the use of GLP-1s and how it’s impacting the protein industry and the overall population.

Get the facts about the U.S. supplement industry and how to be more informed the next time you’re buying vitamins or supplements.

See what Lauren has to say about the types (and amounts) of food the average adult needs to consume daily to stay physically and mentally well — without breaking the bank.

Dive deeper into how AI is changing the health, nutrition and fitness space and Lauren’s expert tips for using AI for your weekly shopping and meal planning.

Find out about Lauren’s vital nutrition coaching work with Purdue’s student-athletes and how she helps them perform at an elite level and center their well-being.

Hear more about Lauren’s Boilermaker journey, including her time as a Purdue soccer player, and why she’s passionate about helping students successfully transition into life after elite sports.

You don’t want to miss this fascinating episode with a Purdue alumna who’s empowering Boilermaker athletes in their health and nutrition journeys!

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33 min

About This Is Purdue

From the publisher's feed

This Is Purdue, the official podcast for Purdue University, highlights stories about Boilermakers from across all disciplines, who through research, innovation and determination, have persistently pursued their next giant leap.