Get to know me
Roberto Gallardo is the Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development and a Purdue Extension Community & Regional Economics Specialist. He is also an associate professor in the Agricultural Economics department. He holds an electronics engineering undergraduate degree, a master’s in economic development, and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration. Gallardo has worked with rural communities over the past decade conducting local & regional community economic development, including use of technology for development.
He has authored more than 100 articles including peer-reviewed and news-related regarding rural trends, socioeconomic analysis, industrial clusters, the digital divide, and leveraging broadband applications for community economic development. He is also the author of the book “Responsive Countryside: The Digital Age & Rural Communities”, which highlights a 21st century community development model that helps rural communities transition to, plan for, and prosper in the digital age. Dr. Gallardo is a TEDx speaker and his work has been featured in a WIRED magazine article, a MIC.com documentary, and a RFDTV documentary. He lives in West Lafayette with his wife and two daughters.
Authored news
It is hard to believe I became director of the Center more than two years ago in June of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. While those were challenging…
Last week, 21 coalitions received between $25 and $65 million — for a total of $1 billion—as part of the American Rescue Plan ‘Build Back Better Regional Challenge’ (BBBRC) to…
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic shed a bright light on an issue that has been around for decades: the digital divide. As parents, children, and workers scrambled to learn, socialize, and…