Giving to MSE
Originating as two separate schools – Polymer, Textile and Fiber Engineering and the earlier Materials Science and Engineering – the new School of Materials Science and Engineering has been at the forefront of innovation and education since the day the Textile department first opened its doors almost 120 years ago. As a result of the merger between MSE and PTFE, we now have 55 thesis sponsoring faculty and are the largest materials department in the country. Our undergraduate and graduate programs are routinely ranked among the nation’s leading programs by U.S. News and World Report.
Ongoing research in the School has resulted in the creation of the world’s lightest, yet strongest armor capable of being shaped to not only better ensure the protection of our nation’s troops and police, but to create bomb-proof passenger planes; fibers capable of on-demand ballistics protection; drug delivery vehicles capable of targeting cancerous cells, thus eliminating negative effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss and nausea; shape memory polymers for use in joint repair; tissue expanders for use in cleft palate repair; fuel cell innovation and energy storage devices capable of creating and storing sustainable energy; and the creation of electricity as a result of the mechanical energy produced by our bodies during normal day-to-day activities. In addition to fundamental research, emerging technologies are routinely being explored in terms of patents and new product development. Numerous industries have been founded based on research originating in MSE and are currently contributing to Georgia economic recovery.
Commercialization is the offshoot of innovation and one of the goals of MSE is to help revitalize Georgia’s, and America’s, economy by helping it to become a major manufacturing site once again. Taking the innovative technology coming out of the School and bringing it to market is crucial to recreating our manufacturing base. With continued research and the development of new technologies, we will ensure we remain on the forefront of both innovation and manufacturing.
Cutting edge research is just half of what we do here in MSE. Even more important is the education of future generations of engineers capable of creating the technology of the future. Our faculty have been recognized by MSE students as amongst the best educators on campus. We strive to teach our students not only the technical aspects of engineering and innovation but to look at the world with an eye of of improving the society in which we live.
Maintaining our position at the forefront of education and technological innovation does, however, come at a price. Operational and endowed funds are necessary to continue to provide our students with the best, most innovative education and to continue the research crucial to the betterment of our lives. Chaired positions and professorships are needed to attract and retain top tier faculty, scholarships and fellowships are necessary to ensure students of the highest caliber have the funds to attend, and both operational and endowed funds are necessary to support ongoing research.
There are many ways in which you can make a gift to the Georgia Tech Foundation in support of the School of Materials Science and Engineering. To learn more, contact Mary Z. McEneaney, Director of Development at 404.894.6345 or by email at: mary.mceneaney@mse.gatech.edu.
Your contribution will help to ensure a better future for our children and our planet.
Permanent Endowments
Named Endowment Fund — From
$25,000
The Institute encourages school-based unrestricted endowments to provide
maximum flexibility in meeting pressing needs and to provide support for new
initiatives. There are several opportunities for recognition, including the
naming of the endowed fund.
Endowed Faculty Support
Chaired Professorships —
From $1,500,000
Income from these named endowments will be used to support outstanding faculty
in MSE to seed research projects, and for travel, equipment, and student
research assistants—all consistent with the overall needs of the School. These
professorships will ensure that such individuals, who have already made their
mark in the field, possess the resources to remain at the forefront of their
fields, and lead teaching and research efforts in areas important to the future
of materials engineering. The visibility and stature of
senior faculty chair holders will draw outstanding students to the program,
stimulate innovative research, serve as mentors for younger faculty, and
aggressively seek leveraged funding from government and industrial sources.
Endowed chairs may be named to recognize their donors or a designee.
Endowed Student Support (named)
- Undergraduate Scholarships - From $100,000
- Graduate Fellowships - From $500,000
- Undergraduate Research Awards - From $50,000
Quality students are measured by more than just SAT scores. Georgia Tech places a premium on attracting students with the character, determination, and intelligence necessary to meet the demands of a first-rate technological education and use that education to improve the world around them. To recruit the most promising undergraduate and graduate students to Materials Science engineering, we must compete against universities that offer considerably more financial support than Georgia Tech—even with Georgia's HOPE scholarship. Funding a named undergraduate scholarship or graduate fellowship is the best way to ensure that the best of the best are excited to attend Tech, and challenged by their education. Georgia Tech must be in the position to assure that no qualified student is denied an education.
Naming Opportunities
From $25,000
There are many opportunities still available for the naming of classrooms,
conference rooms, and student meeting areas. These funds are then used at the
discretion of the School chair for programs and initiatives that are in need of
additional funding, or for establishing new cutting-edge programs.
Current Operations
Unlike endowments, current operating funds are available for use in the year they are received. Gifts and grants designated to the School but unrestricted therein support core academic and programmatic needs as well as provide seed funds for emerging academic initiatives. Restricted gifts and grants may support a variety of initiatives within the School, including but not limited to: faculty research, undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships, faculty enrichment, upgrade of facilities and equipment.