DALLAS (SMU) – Business leader and banker Gerald J. Ford has committed $15 million as the lead gift to construct a campus research center supporting a major SMU initiative to expand advanced computing and interdisciplinary research throughout the University.
The new state-of-the-art building will support research facilitated by SMU’s high-performance computing capabilities, among other projects. It also will be the home of the Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute, established in May 2012 through a gift from the Dedman family and Foundation. The building will be located on SMU’s main campus at the corner of McFarlin and Airline.
Establishment of the Gerald J. Ford Research Center joins other advancements SMU is implementing to support its accelerated research push. Among them is completion of a new University data center, a companion building under construction on SMU property south of Mockingbird Lane. Technology in the new building will enable SMU’s high-performance computing capacity to grow from 2,000 to more than 10,000 CPU’s. Other actions to promote research include raising resources for new endowed faculty chairs and other faculty with active research agendas, along with increasing opportunities for undergraduates to conduct real-world research.
“The new Gerald J. Ford Research Center will help to transform the research and educational landscape of the University,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Students must be prepared for a world in which data analyses, modeling and visualization are critical decision-making tools, while faculty continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. Gerald Ford’s new gift continues his tradition of strong support for faculty research. We are extremely grateful to him for this major boost to SMU’s academic aspirations and impact.”
In 2003 Ford established the Gerald J. Ford Research Fellows program at SMU, which annually honors outstanding faculty members with funding to support their research and creative endeavors. To date 48 professors have been named Ford Research Fellows. Several other programs of the University also have benefited from his philanthropy. By providing the lead gift for the Mustangs’ football stadium in 1997, Ford revitalized the campus experience for athletes, other students and supporters. He also supports student scholarships. Ford is a member of the SMU Board of Trustees, former Board chair and currently the convening co-chair of SMU’s Second Century Campaign.
“I believe it is important that SMU alumni and friends support all areas of the University – academic programs, scholarships, athletics and campus development,” Ford said. “SMU is known for the breadth of the educational experience it provides, and this campaign is strengthening every critical component of the campus environment for our students.”
The surprise announcement of Ford’s new commitment was made October 25 at a meeting of leaders and volunteers for SMU’s Second Century Campaign. The Volunteer Summit attracted more than 200 participants and coincided with the University’s Homecoming Week.
Ford’s new commitment brings to $800 million the total raised to date by SMU’s Second Century Campaign. The University announced in September that it was raising its original monetary goal from $750 million to $1 billion, based on the campaign’s rapid progress ahead of schedule. Seeking resources for scholarships, faculty positions, academic programs, facilities and the campus experience, the campaign was publicly launched in 2008.
About the Ford Research Center
A prominent component of the Ford Research Center will be a visualization lab. Connected to the new data center, it will be used for classes, conferences and performances showcasing computational research at SMU. The Ford Research Center also will facilitate experimentation in imagery and provide ample space for the interaction between individual researchers and the tools of technology. Offices for technology support staff will be housed in a central location for ease of access.
It is expected that availability of the Research Center will encourage more faculty to use high-performance computing and attract greater levels of external research funding. SMU aspires to increase its current $20 million in research activity annually to $50 million per year. The Second Century Campaign has added 34 new endowed faculty positions, bringing SMU’s total to 96, all of them senior-level scholars with active research agendas. Along with existing faculty who are leading important research projects, these scholars need and expect the best facilities to support their work. In addition, high-performance computing will apply directly to the undergraduate curriculum in several disciplines.
“Along with advancing research among faculty and graduate students, SMU is committed to providing undergraduates with meaningful research experience,” said Paul Ludden, SMU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We know that solutions to society’s challenges require knowledge and expertise drawing upon several disciplines. The Gerald J. Ford Research Center will enable students to develop the research and discovery skills they will need to address complex problems and thereby contribute to society.”
Projects that will benefit from the Ford Research Center and expanded high-performance computing include those in biology and chemistry, aiding the development of new drugs to treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases. In business, advanced computing will support accurate simulations and forecasts of changes in complex financial markets and consumer behavior. Projects in computer science and engineering also will include forecasting behavior of complex networks, and research in the arts will be aided by improved digital imagery and sound. In statistical science, high-performance computing will support comparisons of DNA/RNA sequences in the human genome to identify sources of genetic disorders.
“I have been impressed by the research advancements of our faculty,” Ford added. “Over the years, in supporting the Ford Research Fellows, I have seen first-hand the contributions made by our faculty through their research. I am pleased to provide them with the next essential asset they need to continue their achievements.”
New faculty positions advancing interdisciplinary research include the Ruth Collins Altshuler Endowed Professor and Director of the Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute, funded by Altshuler, SMU trustee and former Board chair; and the Ruth and Kenneth Altshuler Centennial Interdisciplinary Professor in Cities, Regions and Globalization, funded by the Vin and Caren Prothro Foundation.
Another recent faculty example is the appointment of cyber security expert Frederick Chang, who has joined SMU to develop a multidisciplinary program aimed at tackling the most vexing cyber security challenges. He is the new Bobby B. Lyle Endowed Centennial Distinguished Chair in Cyber Security and professor of computer science in the Lyle School of Engineering and a senior fellow in the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Science in Dedman College.
Expanded resources for interdisciplinary collaboration also will strengthen SMU research partnerships locally, nationally and worldwide.
