Jischke announces gift to center

By Kurt Esposito
Assistant Campus Editor

In what Purdue President Martin Jischke said was a "historic announcement" for Purdue, he announced the soon-to-be-built nanotechnology center has received the largest single gift in the history of the University for a facility — $30 million.

"I believe this announcement is a turning point in the history of Purdue," he said.

He said the center will rank among the best in the world, putting Purdue at the forefront of an emerging field that many predict will have a significant impact in the future.

"Purdue will be … where it all takes place," said Jischke.

At a press conference Friday afternoon he announced Purdue Trustee Michael Birck and his wife, Katherine, have made the donation — in turn the center has been officially named the Birck Nanotechnology Center.

Birck is the chairman of Tellabs Inc., a telecommunications equipment manufacturing company.

He said the gift is not a tribute to him and his wife but to Purdue's commitment to excellence. He said the nanotechnology center will be meaningful to the future of Indiana and the country.

The crowd gave Birck a standing ovation after he spoke.

The audience — which filled half of Fowler Hall — also stood up at the beginning of the event and sang along to "Hail Purdue" as it was played over the speakers.

The press conference was also held to kick off Discover Purdue Week in which a major announcement will be made each day leading up to the home football game against Notre Dame on Saturday.

Jischke announced another large gift for the nanotechnology center — $10 million donated by Purdue alumni Donald and Carol Scifres. Donald is the co-chairman of the board and chief strategy officer of JDS Uniphase Corp., an optical communications company.

A wing in the center will be named for Donald's father, Ray, who was a member of Purdue's electrical engineering staff for 35 years. The Scifres' could not attend the event but Donald's sister, Ann Ludwig, spoke on their behalf.

She said her father would be proud to have his name associated with the research that will go on at the center.

The announcement was followed by a luncheon in the North Ballroom of the Purdue Memorial Union; the room was decorated with balloons tied together in the shape of molecular strands.

Nanotechnology involves the building of molecular-sized structures one atom at a time. It has applications in engineering, physics and biology. Working with the emerging field, Purdue researchers have already developed biochips that can detect pathogens in food.

The center will provide clean rooms, a nanotechnology incubator, atomic force and electron emission microscopes, epitaxial growth facilities, which will make silicon crystals, and space for the cross-disciplinary research necessary for studying nanotechnology.

Purdue initially received $5 million from the state legislature to go toward the center with the promise that Purdue would raise the remaining $46 million needed through federal dollars and private donations.

"We kept our promise and then some," said Jischke.

The three-story, 71,000-square-foot center will be part of the $100 million Discovery Park, which will be located in a section of what is now the Purdue Village. It will serve educational needs for many disciplines on campus as well provide tools and space for start-up companies.

The park will be home to a bioscience/engineering center, an e-enterprises center and a center for entrepreneurship. The first phase of construction for the park is scheduled to begin in July and be completed in 2004.

Several people attended Friday's announcement, including Gov. Frank O'Bannon; Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.; Rep. Brian Kerns, R-7th; and Rep. Steve Buyer, R-5th.

O'Bannon said the center will help the state of Indiana economically. He said that while no one knows what nanotechnology will bring, it is important to be at the forefront of a field that could affect the people of Indiana, the U.S. and all over the world.

"We want to keep that door wide open," he said.

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CAMPUS DESK PHONE:
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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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