President, Purdue University
When Martin C. Jischke became Purdue's 10th president in August 2000, he brought with him decades of experience in higher education. "Purdue has a tradition of outstanding leadership from its presidents," said J. Timothy McGinley, chairman of the Purdue Board of Trustees. "In Martin Jischke, we have one of the most dynamic and effective chief executives in the country."
Executive Leadership
Jischke served as chancellor of the University of Missouri-Rolla from 1986 to 1991, and his success in that role led him to the presidency of Iowa State University. Like Purdue, Iowa State is a land-grant institution with strong emphases on engineering, science, agriculture, extension, and veterinary medicine. During Jischke’s nine years of leadership, the university made huge strides in improving undergraduate education, expanding research programs, increasing student diversity, and raising money for scholarships. Private fund-raising at Iowa State set records each year under Jischke’s leadership, topping $100 million annually.
Jischke’s leadership extends to national and international higher-education organizations. He was the founding president of the Global Consortium of Higher Education and Research for Agriculture. He served as chairman and board member of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and as a board member of the American Council on Education, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, and Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities. He is on the boards of directors of the Association of American Universities and the American Council on Competitiveness.
Educational Commitment
After receiving his doctoral degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1968, Jischke joined the faculty of the University of Oklahoma’s School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Nuclear Engineering. During his 17 years at Oklahoma, he served in multiple capacities. He became director of the School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Nuclear Engineering in 1977. He was the principal advisor to 21 thesis students. He served as dean of the College of Engineering from 1981 to 1986. Finally, he was named interim president of the university in 1985.
Research Expertise
Trained as a fluid dynamicist, Jischke has expertise in heat transfer, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, and problems related to high-speed aircraft and spacecraft. He is co-editor of one book and the author or co-author of 31 archival journal publications and 21 major technical reports. Jischke has given more than 50 major technical presentations and lectures. He has held research fellowships with NASA and the Donald W. Douglas Laboratory and has received research grants from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Air Force, NASA, National Institutes of Health, National Severe Storms Laboratory, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. During 1975-76, he served as a White House fellow and special assistant to the U.S. secretary of transportation.
Jischke is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is a recipient of the Centennial Medallion of the American Society for Engineering Education. The Illinois Institute of Technology and the National Agricultural University of Ukraine have awarded him honorary doctoral degrees. He has also received the Illinois Institute of Technology Professional Achievement Award and the Ukraine Medal of Merit from that nation's president for outstanding service by a foreign national.
Family Life
Jischke was born in Chicago on August 7, 1941. He graduated from Proviso High School in Maywood, a suburb on Chicago's west side, and earned his bachelor's degree in physics with honors from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1963. Martin and Patty Jischke were married in 1970. They have two children, Charles, an audio engineer living in Studio City, California, and Mary, a student in industrial engineering at the University of Wisconsin.
Goals for Purdue University
At the November 2001 meeting of the Purdue University Board of Trustees, a new strategic plan was approved for the University. The plan calls for data-driven decision making; a key focus for 2003 is the collection of the data essential to move ahead. Purdue will select several data points for comparison with peer institutions. The announcement of Discovery Park — a research and entrepreneurial cluster to be built on the south edge of campus — has made the planning and staffing of these facilities critical. The president continues to build alumni and donor support and create a number of educational partnerships within the state of Indiana. Working cooperatively with state government to achieve better education for Indiana citizens is one of Jischke's highest priorities.
