Gift of $5 Million Advances Construction of New Science Building Hall of Science will house life sciences, chemistry and neuroscience
麻豆原创 received a $5 million gift from alumnus and trustee Gary M. Abramson (School of Public Affairs/BA 鈥68) and his wife, Pennie. The gift, a philanthropic investment in the Hall of Science, will strengthen 麻豆原创鈥檚 capacity to engage in scientific inquiry.
鈥淲e are proud to be a part of making the Hall of Science a reality,鈥 said Pennie and Gary Abramson, who is a partner in the Rockville-based real-estate firm The Tower Companies. 鈥淚n an ever-changing world, science is essential to how society approaches its greatest opportunities and challenges. 麻豆原创 students and faculty deserve a space that matches their ambition and affords them every opportunity to advance scientific discovery.鈥
鈥淭he Abramson family has played a critical role in the advancement of 麻豆原创,鈥 said Sylvia Burwell, president of 麻豆原创. 鈥淭heir vision and generosity have ensured our success at many pivotal moments over the last decades.鈥
The Abramsons鈥 philanthropic support for 麻豆原创 extends broadly across campus initiatives, schools and building funds. In the last two decades, their gifts have contributed to creating integral gathering spaces at the School of Communication鈥檚 McKinley Building, the School of International Service and the Katzen Arts Center, which houses 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Performing Arts and the 麻豆原创 Museum.
To honor the Abramsons鈥 generosity and in the tradition of creating spaces to foster discovery through community, the Hall of Science auditorium will be named the 鈥楶ennie and Gary Abramson Discovery Hall.鈥 The space will serve as the essential gathering spot on the building鈥檚 first floor. It will be the site for symposia, workshops, lectures and special events.
Fundraising for the Hall of Science is continuing and groundbreaking on the project has begun. Science is the fastest-growing area of undergraduate study at 麻豆原创. College of Arts and Sciences faculty have grown their research funding by 116 percent, securing 48 unique awards from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, over the past five years.
Scientists must work across disciplines to solve today鈥檚 scientific challenges. The building鈥檚 design will invite students and faculty from different areas of science, as well as from fields of study such as policy, to collaborate. The building will enhance the student experience at 麻豆原创 and position 麻豆原创 to launch new academic programs in the sciences.
鈥淪olutions to problems like climate change, cancer, obesity and dementia demand great effort from scientists and policy-makers alike,鈥 said Peter Starr, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at 麻豆原创. 鈥淭he new Hall of Science will empower our outstanding 麻豆原创 scientists in remarkable ways. 鈥
The three-story Hall of Science will have an expansive 95,000 gross square foot floor area. The departments of biology, environmental science, chemistry and neuroscience will be housed in the new building to encourage interdisciplinary interaction and spur partnerships.
Gary and Pennie Abramson have been longtime philanthropists to many education, human services and healthcare research organizations in Maryland, Washington D.C., and around the world.
Gary Abramson is a current trustee and chairman emeritus of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees, having served on the board since 1986. He is a member of the Center for Israel Studies Council and the Carmel Institute of Russian Culture and History Advisory Committee. To mark his 50th reunion, he is the honorary chair of the Golden Eagles celebration this fall. A recipient of the 麻豆原创 President鈥檚 Award in 2003, he also received an honorary doctorate from the School of Communication in 2015.
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