Sherman Fairchild Foundation: Generous Grant Furthers Plans for New Facility

Fueled by a $10 million commitment from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, Caltech's plan to construct a dedicated facility for astronomy and astrophysics is well on its way to becoming a reality. The new grant allows Caltech to move forward with formal architectural design and engineering plans for the building and also brings total support for the project to $35 million toward a $50 million goal. The new facility will be named the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics in recognition of a lead commitment from Caltech friends Charles H. and Aniko Der Cahill.

"The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has been a generous supporter of Caltech's for many years and this new grant furthers their overall contribution to our mission and strategic directions," says David Baltimore. Previous support to Caltech from the foundation includes funding for the Sherman Fairchild Postdoctoral Scholars Program, the Center for Computational Research in Biology, and the Sherman Fairchild Library of Engineering and Applied Science. "We are proud that the foundation continues to partner with the Institute in the pursuit of scientific discovery."

Caltech scientists are shedding new light on how stars, planetary systems, and the universe were formed. At the same time, they are developing the technologies that will usher in the discoveries of tomorrow. Once complete, the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics will provide an environment that will allow Caltech's renowned investigators and engineers to continue making dramatic discoveries that capture the public's imagination and eclipse even the remarkable breakthroughs and insights of the past century.

"Over the decades that I have been a Caltech Trustee, I have been privileged to share in the activities of the Institute's Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astonomy," says Walter Burke, Caltech Trustee and member of the Sherman Fairchild Foundation's Board of Directors. "A long while ago I became convinced that the division's mission is critical to today's science. The Sherman Fairchild Foundation is delighted to support this new facility for astronomy and astrophysics, which will enhance the work of the division's remarkable faculty and researchers."