CHANGING THE WORLD What your investment in UT makes possible “ The secret of our success in science, particularly chemistry, here at Texas is The Welch Foundation.” — b rent iverson, dean of undergraduate studies
BANKING ON A GOOD CHEMICAL IDEA The Welch Foundation supports UT faculty’s life-changing discoveries
O
n a winter afternoon in the heart of the forty acres , nearly
every hand was raised, but they weren’t those of students. They were the hands of some of the most brilliant scientific minds in the country, who had gathered to hear Norbert Dittrich, ’74,
president of The Welch Foundation.
Above: 80 active
UT research projects are funded by The Welch Foundation
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The question asked—“Who agrees that their best idea started as a Welch Foundation grant?”— came from Dean of Undergraduate Studies Brent Iverson, former chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Among the 100 UT Austin faculty members in the room were Welch Foundation grant recipients John Goodenough, father of the lithium-ion battery; Adam Heller, inventor of the painless glucose-monitoring test; and C. Grant Willson, creator of the process used to manufacture nearly all the microprocessors and memory chips in the world. Dittrich shared the story of Robert Alonzo Welch, a noted philanthropist for whom UT
Austin’s Welch Hall was named. He was 29 when Spindletop came in, his first big payday, and went on to make his fortune in oil and minerals. Upon his death in 1952, he gave a large amount of his wealth to his employees, and the balance of his estate funded The Welch Foundation. Based in Houston, the foundation is one of the United States’ oldest and largest private funders for chemistry research. “Mr.Welch was fascinated by chemistry and the manufacturing process,” said Dittrich. “He had a keen interest in getting to the root of problems and believed in the great possibilities to better humankind through basic chemical research.”
That belief in the power of a good chemical idea has spurred life-changing discoveries. Over the last six decades, The Welch Foundation has generously given more than $165 million to UT Austin to fund groundbreaking research—including 80 active research projects and almost 300 graduate students— and endow chairs. These chairs honor distinguished faculty and support research and teaching above and beyond a salary. “It’s about trust in the institutions and the people doing the work,” said Dittrich. “We encourage researchers to share their risky ideas. Our approach is somewhat like a venture capital model because we are literally about funding blue-sky research, which is different than National Institutes of Health and others,” said Dittrich. That trust promotes creativity and greater exploration from faculty and postdoctoral and graduate students. Undergraduates as well gain invaluable experience working side-by-side in the lab with their mentors. Following a standing ovation for Dittrich and The Welch Foundation, Iverson closed the campus event. “The secret of our success in science, particularly chemistry, here at Texas is The Welch Foundation,” he said. “I can think of no single funder but The Welch Foundation that could fill a room and get this kind of recognition for catalyzing so many ideas. The impact is almost incalculable.”
MEET NORBERT DITTRICH When asked about his work as president of The Welch Foundation, Norbert Dittrich quickly steers the conversation back to the foundation and its unwavering mission to support basic chemistry research. He’s both humble and proud. Dittrich earned his business administration degree from Texas in 1974. He soon joined The Welch Foundation as an accountant and worked his way up to president, the position he’s held since 1993. In that time, he has worked with many UT alums who have served on the foundation’s board, most recently Charles Tate, ’68; Beth Robertson, ’68; and Ernest “Ernie” Cockrell, ’72. While in the past he focused on the numbers, today he crisscrosses the state to visit the people behind the research. “I travel to the different schools and get to see all the good our investment is doing,” he said. “It’s so gratifying to see the faculty and students with that sparkle in their eyes. I think, ‘Wow, this is all worth it!’”
THE WELCH FOUNDATION WALL OF FAME Many talented faculty and researchers at UT Austin have won awards and grants from The Welch Foundation. Here are a few to know.
DR. JOHN GOODENOUGH Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering The Welch Award in Chemistry 2017 Goodenough is changing the world with his groundbreaking work in solid-state science and batteries. The inventor of the lithium-ion battery, he and his team are now making headlines for developing a new type of battery that charges faster and lasts longer, which could vastly improve the range of electric cars.
“ None of us walks alone. I am grateful to The Welch Foundation for understanding the importance of fundamental research in chemistry. Through our collective work comes the transformation of society.”
DR. DELIA MILLIRON Henry Beckman Professorship Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research 2017 Milliron and her team of researchers are developing smart windows that provide a new level of energy efficiency by revealing light without transferring heat and blocking light while allowing heat transmission.
“The Welch Foundation takes the long view, supporting the basic research in chemistry that’s necessary to unlock unforeseen materials properties and to inspire new technologies.”
DR. ALLEN J. BARD Norman Hackerman–Welch Regents Chair in Chemistry The Welch Award in Chemistry 2004 Often referred to as the “father of electrochemistry,” Bard has pioneered advancements in the field for more than 60 years. He is perhaps best known for his work developing the scanning electrochemical microscope.
“It is only through endowments like The Welch Foundation’s that The University of Texas at Austin is able to provide and maintain first-class research programs.”
s e p t e m b e r | o c t o b e r 2011
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