Kissinger presented Sagamore of the Wabash
2019-09-25
Writer(s): Steve Scherer
After more than forty years at Purdue, Emeritus Professor Peter Kissinger retired last month. He was recently presented the Sagamore of the Wabash Award by West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis.
Our department also surprised Pete with the Wetherill Medal. He is Co-Founder/CEO/Chairman of several startups including, BASi, Prosolia, and Phlebotics to name a few.
“I’ve always enjoyed the fabulous career flexibility afforded by being part of the Purdue community, enabling translation of science and engineering to the commercial world in the Land Grant tradition,” he said.
“Pete was instrumental in establishing relationships with the business community in West Lafayette in 1975 and has become the consummate model of the academic entrepreneur,” said Christine Hrycyna, Chemistry Department Head and 150th Anniversary Professor.
“His company BASi was the first life sciences business in the Purdue Research Park and Pete quickly became involved in planning the park itself, where he also started a business incubator in the park called INventure, likely the first university-affiliated new business incubator in Indiana,” she added.
Summarizing Kissinger’s several decades as a central figure in state/university/business interactions, R. Graham Cooks, Henry B. Hass Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry, said, “He has served this State in time and effort way beyond what a reasonable person might hope to see in fellow citizens. Pete is a public-spirited individual who loves science, loves Indiana and plays his role with passion and great wisdom.”
During his 44 years on campus, Pete mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, and plans to continue that in retirement.
“I will take advantage of my free retirement parking pass and continue writing, advising students, and working to improve diagnostic tools for better healthcare – along with more travel,” he added.
West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis, Professor Peter Kissinger, Chemistry Department Head and 150th Anniversary Professor Christine Hrycyna.