Friday, May 10th, 2002 1:59PM BREAKING NEWS |
Duke receives a donation from the Gates Foundation to build a new science facility for biology, chemistry, physics and biological anthropology and anatomy The Triangle TechJournal: May 10th, 2002 www.triangletechjournal.com FROM STAFF REPORTS & A PRESS RELEASE DURHAM -- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is donating $30 million to Duke University to support a new science facility, Duke President Nannerl Keohane announced on Thursday. In addition to those funds, the Gates Foundation will give another $5 million for student life initiatives. The announcement was made at the May meeting of the university's academic council, the faculty governance body. Melinda French Gates, a former Microsoft executive, is a member of Duke's board of trustees and is a vice chair of its student affairs committee. She earned two bachelor's degrees at Duke, one in computer science and the other in economics. She later earned an MBA at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. Her husband, Bill, is the founder and chairman of Microsoft. "I think the important thing here is that Melinda wanted to give back to Duke, a place she has fond memories of," said Carol Treat, spokesperson for the Gates Foundation. "I'm pleased to be giving back to the university that has given me so much," said Melinda Gates in a press release. "It is my hope that this new state-of-the-art science facility and the student life initiatives will enrich undergraduates' learning experience." New Science Building President Keohane said the new multidisciplinary sciences building is expected to be named The French Sciences Center in honor of Melinda French Gates' family. Melinda is a native of Dallas, Texas, where her parents, Raymond French and Elaine Amerland French, still live. "Melinda French Gates is a wise and visionary leader at her alma mater," said Keohane in a press release. "We're grateful not only for the resources provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but also for Melinda's personal leadership in helping us shape and implement university priorities." The building is expected to house faculty from the departments of biology, chemistry, physics and biological anthropology and anatomy, helping "to promote interaction across fields of intellectual inquiry." Its location will be adjacent to the math/physics building and will be near both the Biological Sciences and the Levine Science buildings. "[That] should encourage collaborative teaching and research programs and greater interaction between and among faculty and students," Duke Provost Peter Lange said in a statement. Lange, the university's senior academic officer, said the building "will feature state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories appropriate for conducting 21st-century research and for training students in emerging fields such as genomics, biological chemistry, physical biology and bioinformatics." Changes On Campus Larry Moneta, Duke's vice president for student affairs, said that $5 million of the Gates Foundation gift will support student life through projects such as the renovation of the university's West Campus Union and Bryan Student Center. The West Union and Bryan Center renovations will follow the scheduled fall 2002 opening of the $40 million, 350-bed West-Edens Link residence hall, which will connect the main section of West Campus with Edens Quad. In addition to moving all sophomores onto West Campus next fall and implementing linkages between halls on East Campus, where all freshmen live, and West Campus, the university is adding academic support services for students, Moneta stressed, to "introduce a new level of community." "This generous gift will accelerate our plans to improve the quality of meeting places available to students on our West Campus," said Moneta in a press release. Previous Gift Of $20 Million The Gates family has provided support to Duke previously, such as in September 1998 when they awarded a $20 million grant to enable Duke to establish its University Scholars Program. The program is designed to promote interdisciplinary study by undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Program director Victoria Lodewick said in a press release that the University Scholars represent a range of personal and intellectual backgrounds and share "an excitement for original research, collaborative thinking and innovative scholarship." They include undergraduates from every class, as well as graduate students and representatives from each of Duke's six professional schools. About The Foundation The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was created with a stated purpose of "improving people's lives by sharing advances in health and learning with the global community." Led by Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates Sr., and Patty Stonesifer, the Seattle-based foundation has an asset base of $24 billion. For more information on the foundation, visit their website. TTJ |
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Duke receives a donation from the Gates Foundation to build a new science facility for biology, chemistry, physics and biological anthropology and anatomy The Triangle TechJournal: May 10th, 2002 www.triangletechjournal.com FROM STAFF REPORTS & A PRESS RELEASE DURHAM -- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is donating $30 million to Duke University to support a new science facility, Duke President Nannerl Keohane announced on Thursday. In addition to those funds, the Gates Foundation will give another $5 million for student life initiatives. The announcement was made at the May meeting of the university's academic council, the faculty governance body. Melinda French Gates, a former Microsoft executive, is a member of Duke's board of trustees and is a vice chair of its student affairs committee. She earned two bachelor's degrees at Duke, one in computer science and the other in economics. She later earned an MBA at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. Her husband, Bill, is the founder and chairman of Microsoft. "I think the important thing here is that Melinda wanted to give back to Duke, a place she has fond memories of," said Carol Treat, spokesperson for the Gates Foundation. "I'm pleased to be giving back to the university that has given me so much," said Melinda Gates in a press release. "It is my hope that this new state-of-the-art science facility and the student life initiatives will enrich undergraduates' learning experience." New Science Building President Keohane said the new multidisciplinary sciences building is expected to be named The French Sciences Center in honor of Melinda French Gates' family. Melinda is a native of Dallas, Texas, where her parents, Raymond French and Elaine Amerland French, still live. "Melinda French Gates is a wise and visionary leader at her alma mater," said Keohane in a press release. "We're grateful not only for the resources provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but also for Melinda's personal leadership in helping us shape and implement university priorities." The building is expected to house faculty from the departments of biology, chemistry, physics and biological anthropology and anatomy, helping "to promote interaction across fields of intellectual inquiry." Its location will be adjacent to the math/physics building and will be near both the Biological Sciences and the Levine Science buildings. "[That] should encourage collaborative teaching and research programs and greater interaction between and among faculty and students," Duke Provost Peter Lange said in a statement. Lange, the university's senior academic officer, said the building "will feature state-of-the-art research and teaching laboratories appropriate for conducting 21st-century research and for training students in emerging fields such as genomics, biological chemistry, physical biology and bioinformatics." Changes On Campus Larry Moneta, Duke's vice president for student affairs, said that $5 million of the Gates Foundation gift will support student life through projects such as the renovation of the university's West Campus Union and Bryan Student Center. The West Union and Bryan Center renovations will follow the scheduled fall 2002 opening of the $40 million, 350-bed West-Edens Link residence hall, which will connect the main section of West Campus with Edens Quad. In addition to moving all sophomores onto West Campus next fall and implementing linkages between halls on East Campus, where all freshmen live, and West Campus, the university is adding academic support services for students, Moneta stressed, to "introduce a new level of community." "This generous gift will accelerate our plans to improve the quality of meeting places available to students on our West Campus," said Moneta in a press release. Previous Gift Of $20 Million The Gates family has provided support to Duke previously, such as in September 1998 when they awarded a $20 million grant to enable Duke to establish its University Scholars Program. The program is designed to promote interdisciplinary study by undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Program director Victoria Lodewick said in a press release that the University Scholars represent a range of personal and intellectual backgrounds and share "an excitement for original research, collaborative thinking and innovative scholarship." They include undergraduates from every class, as well as graduate students and representatives from each of Duke's six professional schools. About The Foundation The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was created with a stated purpose of "improving people's lives by sharing advances in health and learning with the global community." Led by Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates Sr., and Patty Stonesifer, the Seattle-based foundation has an asset base of $24 billion. For more information on the foundation, visit their website. TTJ |
Friday, May 10th, 2002 1:59PM BREAKING NEWS |
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Bill & Melinda Gates Donate $35 Million To Duke |
SECOND GIFT TO DUKE: Bill and Melinda Gates just gave $35 million to Duke University for a new science building. In 1998, their foundation gave $20 million to the school for a scholars program. photo courtesy of gates foundation |
