Pitt's energy center gets $22 million from Richard King Mellon Foundation
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Scientists by nature are prone to thinking big, imagining the secrets waiting to be unlocked with the right mix of talent and money.
So one can imagine the scale of thinking that has occurred since the Richard King Mellon Foundation notified the Center for Energy within the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering -- a facility just 4 years old -- that it had been chosen to receive a $22 million grant.
The award to Pitt and the Center for Energy will further research and education aimed at better energy technology development and sustainability, officials said in announcing the gift Thursday. The center's director, Brian Gleeson, and others see potential for the grant to boost the profile of Pittsburgh and the university in areas of study that could be defining ones nationally and in the region.
"Quite simply it really is allowing for growth that is going to enhance our stature," said Mr. Gleeson, Harry S. Tack Chair in Materials Science and a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science in the Swanson School.
Pitt declined to release a list of previous foundation gift amounts it has received but described the Mellon gift as one of the largest private foundation grants in the university's history.
The bulk of it will be used to add faculty and graduate fellowships as well as create a fund to encourage research innovation, the university said. The money also will provide backing for research equipment and center operations.
It will be payable over three years to the center, which draws on the expertise of about 70 faculty and their research teams across the university in various engineering disciplines and basic sciences including geology, Mr. Gleeson said.
He said the money will help Pitt compete for top faculty and students and add the sort of equipment that might otherwise be difficult to acquire.
The center knew of the foundation's interest in a donation, but did not anticipate the magnitude. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It's really quite special," he said.
The Center for Energy is devoted to research in energy delivery and efficiency, advanced materials for demanding energy technologies, carbon management and energy diversification, Pitt said.
"The level of our investment reflects our confidence in the academic and administrative leadership of the University," Scott D. Izzo, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, said in a statement. "The center has tremendous potential to make an impact in Pittsburgh, as energy will be the major driver of our regional economy for years to come."
Officials formally announced the gift at an event Thursday afternoon in Benedum Hall on Pitt's campus.
The proper handling of various energy issues is a growing national priority and an important factor in a region's prosperity, Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg said in prepared remarks. "We at Pitt are deeply grateful for this most recent, and extraordinarily generous gift," he said.
First Published February 10, 2012 12:00 am
