В университете Миссури открыли новый центр энергетических инноваций благодаря пожертвованию в 50 миллионов долларов

$50 million gift powers new energy innovation center at Mizzou Published 4:17 pm Friday, September 4, 2026 COLUMBIA — The University of Missouri broke ground Tuesday on a new interdisciplinary research facility aimed at addressing the nation’s energy challenges, backed by a $50 million gift that university officials say is the largest single donation to a school or college in the university’s history. David Payne, a 1983 electrical engineering graduate of the university, made the donation to Mizzou’s College of Engineering. The gift will fund academic programs and student support, faculty research, and facility improvements, including a significant renovation of Naka Hall, home to the electrical engineering and computer science department. In recognition of the donation, the department will be renamed the David L. Payne Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Payne joined university, state, and community officials Tuesday to break ground on the Payne Energy Innovation Center, a 116,000-square-foot facility intended to bring together researchers from across campus to develop solutions for how energy is produced, stored, secured, and delivered. “The Payne Energy Innovation Center and the generosity of David Payne position Mizzou as America’s next hub for energy transformation and solutions,” said Todd Graves, chair of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. “This investment strengthens the university’s land-grant mission by preparing tomorrow’s workforce and creating lasting economic impact across the state for generations to come.” Payne has spent four decades in the electrical industry. He has led PayneCrest Electric, a St. Louis-based electrical contracting company, since taking over as chair in 1985, expanding it to serve commercial and industrial customers nationwide. University of Missouri President Mun Choi said the gift reflects Payne’s commitment to advancing energy research. “David Payne is a visionary leader who shares our commitment to bring energy innovations that benefit our state and nation,” Choi said. “We are deeply grateful for his extraordinary support that will advance pioneering research in Mizzou Engineering and the Payne Energy Innovation Center and equip future energy leaders to make an impact.” The donation also pushed Mizzou’s Power the Roar fundraising campaign past the halfway point toward its $2 billion goal, bringing the total raised to $1.1 billion since the campaign launched publicly last fall. University officials framed the new center as a response to mounting pressure on the nation’s energy systems. Global energy demand is projected to double over the next 25 years, driven in part by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, even as aging infrastructure, cybersecurity threats, extreme weather, and shifting energy loads create new strains on how power is generated, stored, and delivered, according to the university. Researchers at the center will focus initially on advanced energy materials, artificial intelligence, and grid security, drawing on Mizzou’s existing strengths in nuclear energy, materials science, and cybersecurity. The project builds on a $10 million gift from Mizzou alumnus Jim Fitterling, a 1983 mechanical engineering graduate, which helped launch early plans for an interdisciplinary energy center. “The future of energy is being built right here at Mizzou,” said Marisa Chrysochoou, dean of the College of Engineering. “This facility will unite world-class expertise to accelerate discoveries, prepare the next generation of engineers and create solutions with the potential to transform how we produce and use energy.” The center’s work is expected to extend beyond engineering and the sciences, with experts in public policy, agriculture, and business examining how new energy technologies can be applied in communities across Missouri. “Mizzou has an opportunity to shape not only the next generation of energy technology, but how that technology changes lives,” said Cooper Drury, dean of the College of Arts and Science. “By bringing policy experts together with scientists and engineers under one roof, we can move discoveries from the lab into communities faster.” The Payne Energy Innovation Center is a partnership among the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Science, and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, with additional expertise from the School of Law, the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business, and the Missouri School of Journalism. University officials said the facility, expected to open in fall 2028, is also intended to help Mizzou recruit leading faculty and researchers in energy-related fields. “The energy solutions of tomorrow will have a direct impact on how we grow food, manage natural resources and strengthen communities,” said Christopher Daubert, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. “This facility will harness Mizzou’s tremendous breadth of expertise to turn research into practical solutions that benefit Missouri and the world.” Mizzou is the flagship, land-grant university in Missouri and a member of the Association of American Universities and the Southeastern Conference. According to the university, 95% of Mizzou graduates secure jobs or continue their education within six months of graduation, and the university is home to the University of Missouri Research Reactor, the only reactor of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The university enrolls more than 31,000 students in Columbia.