Taking a walk through Purdue University's scientific world is like reading a diary--remembering the past, discovering the present, and blank pages for the future.

Dr. Leslie Geddes is every bit a part of Purdue's present and future.

But at 86-years-old with 33 patents and dozens of inventions, he is certainly a cornerstone of the University's past.

“You have to sit and think,” says Geddes. “One of the problems of our modern day is we don't have time to think."

Dr. Geddes received the National Medal of Technology for saving and enriching thousands of lives, and he's not done yet.

"The next one's big. I wish I could tell you, but I can't tell anybody."

Welcome to the present: Purdue’s Research Park, which is one of the largest in the world.

It is home to about 150 companies, and is the birthplace for medical breakthroughs, national security technologies, and alternative fuel options.

"This park alone, there are more than 3,000 employees,” said Joseph Hornett. “That would make the Purdue Research Park one of the largest private employers in the state of Indiana."

Endocyte is one of those companies, and is working toward a treatment for cancer.

"To think, that in 18 to 24 months they actually may be able to announce that they have gotten a significant treatment for the worst form of human cancers, like lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, is unbelievable."

"Seeing what not only happens in terms of money in the coffers, but improvement in the quality of life. Not only for people here locally, but literally worldwide, is just a great, great story," said Hornett.

"Trying to set our sights for the next five to 10 years; that is an exciting process that's bringing a lot of these interesting ideas to the floor, and how we can make the most of what we're doing to impact Indiana and society," explained Jeff Vitter, dean of the College of Science.

Hollywood has a way of imagining the future, but the future is not just a dream at Purdue.

Envision yourself reading words and seeing images on a translucent screen, maybe even a screen than can bend. The technology is being developed, and will eventually allow pictures, videos, and words on places you've never before thought possible.

"For instance, if you wanted to put it on as a wristband, like the old Dick Tracy wrist radio things. You'd like to have something to just put on the sleeve of your jacket that would be a display that would be conformable to your jacket, bendable, moveable,” explained David Janes, an E-Paper researcher. “You could just look down at your wrist and watch your favorite television show."

E-Paper does not yet exist in this form, but like every invention, it has to start somewhere.

"It's all happening right here at Purdue."

Notre Dame is in the planning stages of its own research park which is expected to launch in the next year or so.