Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ambassadors Program
The College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ambassadors (I&E Ambassadors) program extends Purdue University’s broader Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellows program, which spans all colleges across campus. The university-wide initiative aims to integrate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within each department by leveraging the unique strengths and perspectives of chosen ambassadors from various disciplines.
HHS I&E Ambassadors, who are selected for their innovative contributions and leadership within their fields, play a pivotal role in mentoring peers, facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations and promoting a dynamic exchange of ideas. They are instrumental in connecting the dots between academic research and real-world application, encouraging faculty and students to explore and maximize the commercial potential of their innovations. This program not only supports the college’s mission to revolutionize health sciences education through hands-on learning and practical applications but also aligns with a university-wide effort to foster an environment where academic creativity sparks tangible entrepreneurial outcomes.
Information on how the HHS I&E Ambassadors program integrates with the university-wide initiative can be found on the Purdue’s Office of Research website.
Faculty and students — both in HHS and across campus — who are interested in innovation and entrepreneurship activities in HHS, should contact Joshua Alexander, HHS Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellow, to discuss opportunities, collaborations and ways to engage with the HHS Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ambassadors program.
HHS I&E Ambassador Program Mission and Goals
The College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) Ambassador program empowers faculty and students to translate research into societal impact by fostering innovation, supporting intellectual property development, enhancing professional growth, and expanding industry and interdisciplinary collaboration, through mentorship and visibility.
Mission
We aim to position HHS as a leader in Purdue University’s innovation ecosystem while advancing applications that improve human health and well-being.
Key characteristics and tangible goals
1. Bridge research and societal impact
- Encourage intellectual property disclosures, patents, licensing and commercialization efforts.
- Provide guidance along the path from research to innovation by connecting faculty with relevant Purdue Innovates and Office of Technology Commercialization resources.
- Highlight diverse forms of research impact by recognizing and sharing faculty and student contributions that lead to policy changes, improved health care practices or accessible technologies, even if they do not result in patents or traditional startups.
- Promote mission-driven innovation by faculty and students pursuing non-profit ventures, social entrepreneurship and community-based initiatives that align with HHS’s mission to improve health and human well-being.
- Encourage faculty-led discussions on measuring societal impact to better integrate these efforts into Purdue’s broader I&E ecosystem and funding opportunities.
2. Enhance student and faculty professional development
- Organize pitch competitions, business development workshops and networking events to equip faculty and students with skills needed to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Provide mentorship and training on I&E-related topics to help individuals understand the commercialization process.
- Invite alumni entrepreneurs and industry leaders to speak at events and mentor faculty and students.
3. Expand the visibility of innovation in HHS
- Actively highlight faculty and student successes in innovation and entrepreneurship to build awareness and inspire engagement.
- Work with the HHS Marketing, Communications and Events team to showcase innovation stories in HHS newsletters and social media as well as select Purdue platforms.
- Use alumni success stories to highlight the impact of HHS innovation and entrepreneurship.
4. Strengthen industry partnerships
- Facilitate faculty-industry engagement through networking opportunities and research collaborations, especially with alumni.
- Support faculty in identifying commercialization pathways through industry connections.
5. Support cross-disciplinary collaboration
- Co-host interdisciplinary events that bring together faculty and students from HHS and other Purdue colleges to brainstorm and develop solutions to shared research challenges.
- Establish an HHS I&E directory of faculty expertise to facilitate connections among researchers interested in innovation and entrepreneurship.
6. Prepare HHS to be a leader in Purdue’s innovation ecosystem
- Increase faculty participation in university-wide I&E programs such as Purdue I-Corps, Purdue Innovates and entrepreneurship funding opportunities.
- Demonstrate the value of HHS innovations within Purdue’s broader innovation landscape.
HHS I&E Ambassadors
College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ambassadors (I&E Ambassadors) collectively bring a diversity and depth of expertise across various research areas and professional disciplines. The group includes assistant to full professors with expertise in health and kinesiology; health sciences; hospitality and tourism management; human development and family science; nursing; psychological sciences; public health; and speech, language and hearing sciences. Research spans critical areas such as cardiovascular health, cognitive development, environmental and occupational health, speech and swallowing disorders, and the intersection of technology with health outcomes. Several ambassadors have pioneered innovative therapies and interventions, developed groundbreaking diagnostic tools, and engaged in transformative research that has led to patents and the commercialization of their discoveries.
Clinical backgrounds among the ambassadors inform their research, allowing them to integrate practical health care experiences with academic insights, thereby leading to the development of novel medical devices, therapeutic protocols and educational curricula to address widespread health issues and improve patient care.
HHS I&E Ambassadors have an impressive involvement in entrepreneurial activities, with many having founded startups, collaborated with industry leaders, and/or secured significant grant funding from prestigious institutions like the NIH. These entrepreneurial projects enhance Purdue’s research portfolio and foster a culture of innovation and commercial application of research findings within HHS.
This exceptional group of ambassadors will drive Purdue University’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship by leveraging their collective expertise to mentor emerging innovators, forge interdisciplinary collaborations, and transform the landscape of health science education and research.
Joshua Alexander
I&E Fellow, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Joshua Alexander
I&E Fellow, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Joshua Alexander is committed to improving speech understanding and reducing listening effort for hearing aid users. His significant contributions include developing a sophisticated hearing aid simulator that accurately replicates the features of commercial hearing aids. This innovation has supported his publication of 14 peer-reviewed articles, contributed to 5 NIH grants, and led to the issuance of four U.S. patents. Additionally, his research has attracted funding from major hearing aid manufacturers and involved him as a consultant on an NIH SBIR grant for Creare, LLC. This grant facilitated the development of the Tympan open-source audio processing platform, which began as an open-source hearing aid project and has evolved into a comprehensive audiological test suite, with Purdue as the primary test site. Dr. Alexander also plays a key role in expanding hearing research initiatives at the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis.
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Julie Abdinoor
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Julie Abdinoor
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Julie Abdinoor brings extensive experience as a marketing professional to her teaching in Negotiations, Sales Management, and E-Tailing. She explores the impact of virtual reality and technology on social and emotional well-being. Julie is committed to empowering the next generation of digital natives to become ethical leaders and responsible global citizens.
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Priscilla (Qinglan) Ding
Nursing
Priscilla (Qinglan) Ding
Nursing
Priscilla (Qinglan) Ding focuses on advancing cardiovascular health through innovative research that spans clinical data analysis, screening methodologies, and intervention strategies. She uses traditional statistical and advanced machine learning techniques to investigate how cardiometabolic risk factors influence cardiovascular disease development and progression. Her collaborative work with computer scientists has created machine-learning models that integrate into existing health care systems, enhancing provider decision-making and patient outcomes.
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Deborah Nichols
Human Development and Family Science
Deborah Nichols
Human Development and Family Science
Deborah Nichols‘ research explores cognition and the independent and interacting effects of person factors, content attributes and contextual features. Nichols developed a complex media effects model to examine how these predictors interact to shape cognition, culminating in a co-edited book that combines basic research with actionable insights from industry and policy leaders. Her work bridges academic research and translational activities, offering practical implications for policy and practice. In addition to her research, Nichols has collaborated with leading organizations, serving as a consultant to media companies such as Sesame Workshop, Disney and Benten Tech, as well as to policymakers, including the City of Indianapolis Mayor’s Office and U.S. senators. She has also advised nonprofit organizations, including the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the World Bank and the Turn on the Subtitles initiative in the UK.
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Georgia Malandraki
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Georgia Malandraki
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Georgia Malandraki is a board-certified specialist in swallowing disorders. She investigates developmental and treatment neuroplasticity and rehabilitative and telehealth interventions for dysphagia. Her work, funded by the NIH and several foundations, has led to one patent and three disclosed technologies. Malandraki was a Purdue ELA Fellow in 2020-21 and has served as interim CEO in two startups.
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Jae Hong Park
Health Sciences
Jae Hong Park
Health Sciences
Jae Hong Park is an aerosol scientist and certified industrial hygienist with a background in mechanical engineering. His research addresses the dynamics, synthesis, and control of occupational and environmental aerosols, including nanoparticles and bioaerosols, critical to air quality and human health. Park has developed innovative aerosol generation, control, collection and analysis methods, contributing to over 70 published papers and holding 39 Korean and six U.S. patents.
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David Purpura
Human Development and Family Science
David Purpura
Human Development and Family Science
David Purpura is also the director of the Center for Early Learning at Purdue — a research, practice and policy center. He holds a PhD in clinical psychology from Florida State University. Purpura’s research focuses on the development of mathematical and language skills in early childhood, aiming to understand how these critical skills intersect and how they can be supported through educational interventions. He has significantly contributed to the field by developing assessment tools, educational picture books, and curricula to enhance early learning. His work is supported by various grants, including those from the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences. Purpura is also committed to translating his research findings into actionable strategies for educators and policymakers, directly impacting early educational practices.
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Natalia Rodriguez
Public Health
Natalia Rodriguez
Public Health
Natalia Rodriguez leads an interdisciplinary research group. Her team focuses on designing and implementing novel technologies to address health disparities. Engaging underserved communities in translational science, her lab employs human-centered design to increase the adoption of technological innovations and improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. She co-founded a startup to commercialize a rapid diagnostic test for cervical cancer screening, developed during her doctoral work. Rodriguez is a recipient of the 2023 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award.
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Bruno Roseguini
Health and Kinesiology
Bruno Roseguini
Health and Kinesiology
Bruno Roseguini specializes in developing innovative therapies for chronic cardiovascular conditions, particularly peripheral artery disease (PAD). Holding a physical therapy degree from Londrina State University and a PhD from the University of Missouri, he joined Purdue in 2014. His notable work includes pioneering heat therapy studies, which have shown significant potential in promoting angiogenesis, reducing pain and enhancing muscle strength. Roseguini collaborates with the Indiana University School of Medicine and leads NIH-sponsored clinical trials. He also co-developed a customized leg heat therapy system with Aquilo Sports Inc., funded by a Phase I SBIR grant, demonstrating improved patient mobility and cardiovascular health. He is advancing this technology through further NIH-supported research to establish its broader therapeutic efficacy.
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Cordelia Running
Nutrition Science
Cordelia Running
Nutrition Science
Cordelia Running’s goal is that food should taste good, even if it’s healthy for you. She has projects exploring new products and strategies to increase vegetable consumption, reduce sugar intake, and improve blood glucose control. Her research at Purdue University emphasizes how flavor is an important part of how people select their diet, and so dietary changes to improve health must ensure foods are still tasty. After all, food can only be healthy—or unhealthy—if it’s eaten.
Aaron Specht
Health Sciences
Aaron Specht
Health Sciences
Aaron Specht is actively engaged in entrepreneurial projects emphasizing innovation in environmental surveillance. He is transforming the lead surveillance landscape with novel devices allowing easier and more cost-effective measurements of cumulative and short-term lead exposure. His commitment to impactful solutions focuses on community-based interventions and policy implementation, with his devices having been used to test over 25,000 individuals for heavy metal toxicity in 18 different countries.
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Louis Tay
Psychological Sciences
Louis Tay
Psychological Sciences
Louis Tay specializes in well-being, measurement and data science. He has consulted for top tech companies and Fortune 500 organizations. Tay founded ExpiWell, a Purdue-based tech startup that advances the science and capture of daily life experiences through ecological momentary assessment. ExpiWell, HIPAA and GDPR-compliant, is used by over 5,000 researchers worldwide. He is keen on helping other innovators and entrepreneurs develop their ideas from conception to market.
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