The colleges of engineering and technology received $1.25 million in donations from The Petroleum Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in December.
The Cullen College of Engineering received $1 million to sustain the ASME Petroleum Endowed Chair in Subsea Engineering, while $250,000 was donated to the College of Technology’s Petroleum Initiative.
“This endowment will enable UH to seek a rainmaker in subsea engineering who will educate students and make discoveries that promote safe and reliable subsea oil and gas production,” Matthew Franchek, chairman of the UH department of Mechanical engineering and director of the subsea program, said in a press release.
The donation made to the subsea engineering program will be eligible to be leveraged for up to $75,000 by the Texas Research Incentive Program in 2013.
The $250,000 received by the College of Technology will extend the time the Petroleum Technology Initiative program will continue operating by helping to “fund such operating expenses as adjunct faculty support, scholarships, facilities, equipment, software and outreach programs,” the press release said.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a non-profit global engineering organization.
Please tell me he didn't refer to a scientist as a "rainmaker." If you're trying to not portray yourself as obsessed with the bottom line, Cullen College of Engineering, you're doing it wrong.