The Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy received a $20 million donation from the billionaire founder of the institute, George P. Mitchell.
Mitchell announced the gift at a reception at the institute on Wednesday. The committed donation will be delegated through the Texas A&M Foundation over a five-year period.
The million-dollar establishment of this institute has pushed A&M as one of the leading schools in fundamental physics and astronomy, globally, over the last decade. Bhaskar Dutta, professor of physics and astronomy and interim director of the Mitchell Institute said the last five years A&M has been trying to develop a stronger vision contributing to human understanding of the past, present and future of the universe.
“The Mitchell Institute is very well poised to play a unique role in understanding the important interconnection between particle physics and cosmology by bringing together high-energy physicists and astronomers,” Dutta said.
University President R. Bowen Loftin, class of 1971 physics graduate, reiterated what Mitchells gift said for itself.
“Through his support of buildings and programs across campus, he helped transform Texas A&M into a major research university, Loftin said. Now, with his latest landmark gift toward the institute that bears his name, Mr. Mitchell helps secure the place of our astronomy and physics program among the very best in the world into the foreseeable future. We are profoundly grateful.”
The donation marks the second-largest individual gift from the Mitchell family with others being $35 million in construction in 2005. These gifts, along with several others, solidify Mitchell’s position as the University’s all-time most generous donor with a combined giving total of donations exceeding $95 million, according to a press release from the College of Science.