Meet Jennifer Freeman

Jennifer L. Freeman, PhD, Professor of Toxicology, School of Health Sciences, Assistant Vice President for Research Development, Purdue University, Showalter Faculty Scholar

Jennifer Freeman serves as Assistant Vice President for Research Development in Purdue University’s Office of Research, where she leads efforts to help faculty identify funding opportunities, develop competitive research strategies, and connect with the resources and expertise needed to move promising ideas forward. In addition to her leadership role in the Office of Research, Jennifer is a Professor of Toxicology in Purdue’s School of Health Sciences, giving her a firsthand understanding of the opportunities—and challenges—faculty encounter while building and sustaining an active research program.

A Purdue faculty member since 2007, Jennifer brings nearly two decades of experience as an investigator, mentor and research leader. Her scientific background is in environmental and molecular neurotoxicology, and before joining Purdue she completed postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She earned both her PhD in Molecular Toxicology and her bachelor’s degree in Cell and Structural Biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

In her Research Development role, Jennifer works to strengthen the environment that helps Purdue researchers succeed—from identifying and positioning teams for funding opportunities to developing resources and programs that support researchers across disciplines and career stages. Her perspective as both a researcher and research administrator helps bridge the two sides of the process, with a focus on making research support responsive to what faculty need to advance their work.

From Researcher to Research Development Leader

You received support from the Showalter Trust as both an early-career investigator and, more recently, a Showalter Faculty Scholar. What did that support mean to your research program, and how has the experience influenced your approach to Research Development?

The support I received from the Showalter Trust as an early-career investigator was transformative for my research program. This funding provided resources for trainee support and enabled the generation of preliminary data that ultimately strengthened my NIH proposals. At a pivotal stage in my career, this investment helped me build a sustainable, externally funded research program, with additional support provided later through my selection as a Showalter Faculty Scholar.

Support from the Showalter Trust, along with other Office of Research programs throughout my career, has had a lasting impact on my professional development and research trajectory. Those experiences have shaped my perspective and continue to inform the support our team provides to Purdue faculty.

I have experienced firsthand how meaningful institutional support can be, whether for an early-career investigator, an established investigator pursuing a new research opportunity, or a researcher experiencing an unexpected interruption in external support. This understanding guides our team’s commitment to helping researchers at all career stages access the resources they need to succeed and advance their research goals.

“I have experienced firsthand how meaningful institutional support can be for faculty at every career stage.” – Dr. Jennifer Freeman

A Few Questions with Jennifer