Advancing Discovery
Unparalleled impact with our donor community
A look back on 2021–2022 in The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences
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In a record-breaking fundraising year, you provided our leverage for excellence.
Last year, your gifts drove discovery and impact across the College of Natural Sciences.
Thanks to donors like you, we saw advances in computational oncology research in partnership with MD Anderson, Dell Medical School and the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. We launched Texas Biologics and are developing life-saving vaccines and therapies for viruses, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. We made breakthroughs in biodiversity research across the Texas Field Station Network that will protect the beauty and natural resources of our state and planet. Our faculty and students took the lead in astronomical research projects using the James Webb Space Telescope. With UT’s leadership in building the Giant Magellan Telescope, we’re taking significant strides toward revealing the origins of the universe. As a donor, you play a vital role in this awe-inspiring science.
Your gifts allowed thousands of students to join us at UT and thrive. Regardless of their background, they engaged in the Freshman Research Initiative, the Inventors Program and study abroad opportunities. They worked alongside and learned from the world’s leading scientists. It’s amazing to consider everything they will accomplish in the years ahead. Your support is vital to making all of this possible for our students.
I’m honored to work with donors like you to make a world-changing impact. Your investments are helping us deliver on the promise of science for creating a brighter tomorrow. You are showing the world the power of a UT Austin education. We are grateful to count you as our champions for Texas Science!
– Zak Richards, Chief Development Officer
Philanthropic Impact by the Numbers
$100 million+ raised in 2021–2022 for student scholarships, fellowships, faculty support and programs
$40.1 million+ Research, faculty and facilities
Donors advanced research, innovation and discovery and helped UT Austin attract talented researchers to the college
$60.2 million+ Student and program support
Donors reduced financial barriers, enhanced experiential learning and helped students follow their dreams over the summer
148 Faculty members held an endowed chair, professorship or fellowship
1,299 students received scholarships or fellowships
18,980 donors supported our students, faculty and programs
Philanthropic Impact Contributed to Excellence
78.6% of Natural Sciences undergraduates completed their degrees within four years—an all-time high
4,012 classes were taught across Natural Sciences in the university’s biggest college
17 undergraduate and graduate programs and specializations were ranked in the top 10 nationally by U.S. News & World Report
16 majors help prepare undergraduate students for STEM career success, including a new statistics and data science degree
1,740 undergraduates and peer mentors were involved in the award-winning Freshman Research Initiative
3 new major centers, institutes and research initiatives fully launched in 2020–2022 with donor support: Machine Learning Laboratory, Texas Biologics and the Center for Computational Oncology
3 additional sites were officially designated as UT Austin biological field stations in 2021–2022 and added to the expanding Texas Field Station Network: the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, White Family Outdoor Learning Center in Dripping Springs and the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas
10 core commitments were made in the new college strategic plan that will help UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences become the top public research university for impact
Investing in Research & Harnessing the Power of Technology
Philanthropic support gives faculty the freedom to push the boundaries of knowledge and pursue bold research directions. Donors are helping us to harness the power of artificial intelligence, data science, robotics and precision medicine. We are better able to attract world-class talent and put unrivaled technology assets to use, delivering treatments for devastating diseases, protecting our state’s lands and waters and improving understanding of the origin and nature of our universe.
James Truchard
Back in 1976, when he and two friends, Jeff Kodosky and William Nowlin, were UT Austin employees, James Truchard co-founded National Instruments to advance technology he and his friends developed together in Truchard’s garage. A recent inductee into the College of Natural Sciences’ Hall of Honor, Truchard more recently, through the Truchard Family Foundation, established faculty endowments in computer science that allow the college to attract and retain the very best researchers, people like Stone. This support helps to drive consequential advances across science and technology that shape lives at UT and far beyond it, as well. These gifts come alongside other alumni gifts: Amir and Zaib Husain’s lead gift to establish UT Austin’s new Machine Learning Laboratory (MLL), computer science alum Forest Baskett’s generous donation to MLL and Dheeraj and Swapna Pandey’s investment to leverage efforts at MLL, the Dell Medical School and the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences for discovering breakthroughs in the fight against cancer. Philanthropists are helping ensure brilliant minds behind computer science at UT are able to direct their efforts towards some of society’s most pressing challenges.
“An ingenious spirit that previously drove critical technology innovations to transform the Texas, national and global economy remains alive and well today among our current faculty and student body. Just as Truchard and his fellow trailblazers exhibited curiosity and bold inventiveness in their time at The University of Texas at Austin, so will other pioneers set a path for future technological leadership as a result of our donors’ generosity.”
– David Vanden Bout, Mary Ann Rankin Leadership Chair and R.E. Boyer Chair, dean of the College of Natural Sciences
Educating Future Leaders & Advancing Science for a Changing World
Students who have the talent and drive to study STEM at The University of Texas need opportunities to learn and thrive here, too, regardless of their family income or background. Thankfully, scholarships and other philanthropic investments help propel students towards rewarding lives and careers. As UT Austin’s largest college in terms of enrollment and the #1 institution in Texas for funding from the National Science Foundation, the college delivers impact at scale in education and research alike.
Elizabeth McFadden
Putting to use a “blob-picker” may not sound like the world’s most important work, but names can be deceiving. Researchers like graduate student Elizabeth McFadden head to the facility known as the Sauer Structural Biology Laboratory and use the blob-picker tool after they have prepared samples of viruses or viral proteins for analysis with UT’s cryo-electron microscope. To an untrained eye, the work involves hours of studying fuzzy blob-like images, but what McFadden and her fellow researchers are doing paves the way for discoveries about how to develop powerful antibody therapeutics, vaccines and other biologics. The cryo-electron microscope facility is at the forefront of Texas Biologics, a new initiative that builds on UT Austin researchers’ leading role in the development of COVID-19 vaccines, an anthrax vaccine and promising new RSV vaccines. In partnership with the Cockrell School of Engineering and donors, Texas Biologics launched this year and is focused on the discovery and early development of vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases, cancer and neurodegeneration.
“Philanthropic gifts have been pivotal in catalyzing Texas Biologics, a unique translational medicine initiative that seeks to capitalize from UT’s deep research expertise and record of accomplishment in biologics research to foster the development of novel therapeutics to meet unmet challenges in human health.”
– George Georgiou, Dula D. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering, professor of molecular biosciences and executive committee member for Texas Biologics
Charles Rubarth
After his mother valiantly battled breast cancer before finally succumbing to her illness, Charles Rubarth nurtured a dream of one day becoming a doctor. He was inspired to help others reduce their suffering and live better lives. The neuroscience major from Dallas is the recipient of the Dr. Joseph C. Salamone Scholarship, a part of the Texas Challenge.
His involvement with research and scholarship at UT Austin has opened Charles’ eyes to health inequities and allowed him to connect meaningfully with people from every walk of life. Having an array of experiences outside the classroom—such as research, internships, conference attendance and study abroad—helps future STEM leaders like Charles compete for professional school and graduate school admission, as well as top jobs after graduation. Donors are helping to ensure these formative experiences, which open doors of opportunity by helping to build a student’s skills, networks and résumés are available to students like Charles. Otherwise, experiences like these may have been out of reach.
“I hope I can serve alongside oncologists and surgeons to heal and nurture the infirmed and their families. I cannot afford to attend UT Austin without this scholarship. Strictly speaking, I am without parental support. The scholarships I receive ease my worries, and I can focus on my studies. I hope I can return the generosity given to me by giving back to the community.”
– Charles Rubarth, Class of ’24, Dr. Joseph C. Salamone Scholarship recipient
Shalene Jha
Shalene Jha first became fascinated with bees as a child walking beneath trees, with a sea of life buzzing about in her grandmother’s orchards. Those insects are critical for our food supply, in addition to being wondrous, and that led Jha to UT Austin’s Department of Integrative Biology to study the role of pollinators like bees in agricultural ecosystems, urban gardens and similar landscapes where people rely the most on pollinators for intervention. In 2021, Jha formalized a new role with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center—one of the newest officially designated sites with the Texas Field Station Network. The network is the university’s engine for developing scientific insights and future leaders in biodiversity, conservation and environmental sustainability, and Jha is now part of this work as Wildflower Center academic director. She now complements her research and teaching with work to ensure the field station’s success, as she is furthering and deepening ties between the center and university ecologists.
“Texas is one of the most biodiverse states in the country: we straddle an incredible array of ecoregions that are urgent to study. That’s one reason why serving as the Wildflower Center’s new Academic Director of Research is a dream position. I have the honor of advancing biodiversity research, graduate and undergraduate mentoring, and public engagement around these critical issues—and this position was possible only with the support of the donor community, including a generous gift from the Winn Family Foundation.”
– Shalene Jha, Jean Andrews Centennial Faculty Fellow in Tropical and Economic Botany, associate professor of integrative biology and Wildflower Center academic director of research
2021–22 Endowments and Scholarships
Thank you to all of our donors, including our alumni and friends responsible for these new endowments.
New Endowments Established in 2021–2022.
Undergraduate Research and Education Excellence Fund in Molecular Biosciences
Joe Orr Fellowship in Astronomy
Roger J. Williams Memorial Undergraduate Research Excellence Fund in Biochemistry
Susan and Major Bradshaw Endowed Excellence Fund for the Marine Science Institute
Lucia and John Gilbert FRI Summer Endowed Excellence Fund
Melissa C. Gilbert Math Education Endowed Scholarship for UTeach
Graduate School Assistance Fund for the College of Natural Sciences
Roger Bengtson Undergraduate Research Endowment
Anne Breese Barnes Scholarship
Jeffrey Petterson Graduate Fellowship in Molecular Biosciences
Jeffrey Petterson Turing Scholarship in Computer Science
Susan G. Rosenbaum and Eric J. Schoen Endowed Excellence Fund for Women in Computer Science
Forest Baskett Excellence Fund for Machine Learning
Donald M. Carlton and Elaine Smith Carlton Faculty Fellowship in Chemistry
Allen Condit Endowed Excellence Fund for Computer Science
Catherine Nash and Robert P. Teten Graduate Fellowship in Astronomy
Christine and Philip Dial Endowed Excellence Fund for Actuarial Science
Page and John Schreck Wildflower Center Student Experience Endowment
Shroff Family Endowed Excellence Fund in Computer Science
Richard Gray Memorial Scholarship for the Center for Learning and Memory
CJ Liu & Carrie Wu Family Scholarship for Actuarial Science
Rowley Family Endowed Scholarship for FRI
Richard J. Meyer Endowed Excellence Fund
Truchard Family Chair in Natural Sciences
Truchard Foundation Chair in Natural Sciences
Nancy Prideaux Endowed Excellence Fund
David Laude Scholarship
Fred M. Gibson Undergraduate Research Endowment in Natural Sciences
Godbole-Shenoy Scholarship
2021–2022 Endowment Support
Book Value: $310,345,133
Market Value: $562,074,629
Projected Payout for 2022–23:
189 Faculty Support Endowments:
$13,780,816
281 Student Support Endowments:
$3,126,159
249 Research and Program Support Endowments:
$7,555,805
New Texas Challenge Scholarships that support College of Natural Sciences Students
The Texas Challenge initiative got off to an impressive start, thanks to generous friends and alumni like you. During the 2021–22 academic year, 141 scholarships campuswide helped some of the brightest Texas students learn, study and make lifelong memories on the Forty Acres.
Additionally, Texas Science champions took advantage of the dollar-for-dollar matching program last year to create 14 new Texas Challenge Scholarships for College of Natural Sciences students.
Drs. James A. and Linda Gilbert Prentice Scholarship
Zeitlin Family Endowed Scholarship
Seilheimer and Reid Family Scholarship
Michael and Donna Kay Farr Scholarship
Diane Barnes Copenhaver Scholarship
Paul A., Chris D. and Michael A. Minifee Endowed Scholarship
Kim Lee Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Marye Anne Fox Endowed Scholarship
Edward B. Blackwell, Jr. Endowed Scholarship
David M. Nast Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Jim Daniel Endowed Scholarship
Irfan and Kyoko Hussain Scholarship
Moxley Family Scholarship
Salkin Family Scholarship
