Bren Foundation gives $10 million to Caltech

NEWPORT BEACH -- The Donald Bren Foundation on Monday awarded Caltech a

$10-million grant to support the school’s biological sciences department.

“Caltech’s focus on biological sciences will open a new area for its

scholarly inquiry and research that promises endless possibilities to

profoundly touch and improve our lives,” said Bren, chairman of the

Irvine Co.

The grant, named the Bren Professors Endowment, will help establish

professorships in biology and related disciplines. The donation is part

of Caltech’s Biological Sciences Initiative, a fund-raiser that has

brought in more than $80 million.

Eventually, five senior faculty will be named Bren professors, adding to

the first Bren professorship established at Caltech in 1988.

During the endowment’s first six years, part of the money also will go

toward the research projects of new faculty.

Bren made the donation in the memory of his late stepfather, Earle

Jorgensen, who died this summer at the age of 101. Jorgensen was a

Caltech trustee from 1957 to 1999.

“Earle’s life spanned the 20th Century, and for 42 years, he brought his

special energy, optimism, curiosity and interest in science and

engineering to the Caltech board,” said Bren, who has been a trustee

since 1983.

Caltech’s president, David Baltimore, said the endowment would enable the

school to bring the best possible faculty to its campus.

“I think Don has focused his giving on the most important aspect of

Caltech, which is the quality of our faculty,” Baltimore said.

Bren has created more than 20 endowed chairs at UCI, UC Santa Barbara,

Caltech and Chapman University.