behind the research

Behind the Research: Ben Paxson

March 7, 2022

Ben Paxson credits his fellow academic IT specialists in the College of Agriculture with strengthening research in the college. “The things that we do every day help move emerging technology closer to our end users,” he explains. “At the same time we are striving to reduce duplication of effort by identifying and moving IT services centrally, which benefits us all.”

Behind the Research: Jun Wu

January 10, 2022

When Jun Wu worked for a contractor in Canada, she priced items related to home construction. It’s not unlike her current work, but now she is purchasing reagents, lab supplies and equipment — under more challenging conditions.

Wu spends about 80 percent of her time in the lab of Shihuan Kuang, professor of animal sciences, and her remaining time working on behalf of the department.

Behind the Research: Glenn Hardebeck

September 7, 2021

Glenn Hardebeck learned to play golf from his grandfather but recalls being more interested in driving the golf cart than hitting the ball. At 15, he started a part-time job working on the course at Benton County Country Club. “I didn’t realize there were bigger and better things than the little nine-hole golf course I worked on for five summers,” he says.

Behind the Research: Mike Woodard

May 10, 2021

If Mike Woodard walks into a greenhouse space and finds a researcher mixing fertilizer one batch at a time in a watering can, he will likely mention the availability of a fertilizer injector. Or if he sees someone watering by hand, he’ll offer information about an automated irrigation system.

Behind the Research: Kirby Kalbaugh

February 8, 2021

Technology has long fascinated Kirby Kalbaugh, but early in his career, his goal was to manage a hotel or an amusement park. The Cincinnati native worked full time while studying hospitality management at Purdue. After earning his degree in 1998, he held various hotel management positions in Lafayette — a town he had grown to love.

Behind the Research: Ben Hancock

December 7, 2020

Graduate students and researchers come and go from Purdue, but their computer applications stay behind. Programmer Ben Hancock maintains these legacy applications — greater in number than you might think — by managing servers, responding to users who need help and implementing fixes as needed.

Behind the Research: Richard Fox

October 5, 2020

Today Fox describes his current job responsibilities as “anything that needs done.” He consults with ASEC faculty and staff on technology-related issues, leads computer-related developments and activities in the department, and coordinates efforts with other university computing departments. “It’s a wide variety, basically whatever might pop up,” he says. “That’s developed over the years. There’s a lot of meeting with faculty and staff, making personal connections and earning their trust.”

Behind the Research: Alex Helms

June 8, 2020

Some days, Alex Helms has a difficult time transitioning from his job as the farm technical coordinator at the Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center (SEPAC) to working on his uncles’ farm not far from his workplace. At SEPAC, he uses an autosteer tractor and automated system to spread fertilizer. On the family-run farm, he drives the tractor himself and counts rows. “Going from one to the other can be humbling,” he says. “I definitely get a different perspective on how my uncles or neighbors manage their crops.”

Behind the Research: Jason Adams

April 8, 2020

Jason Adams starts each workday by checking the Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center (ICSC) physical plant and the equipment that researchers have reserved for the day. “I’m an equipment junkie, and Purdue has given me a lot to take care of,” he says.