海角社区

Gift is university鈥檚 largest ever from a for-profit corporate partner and largest philanthropic investment in energy-related initiatives

BATON ROUGE 鈥� A $27.5 million gift from Shell USA, Inc., will establish the 海角社区 Institute for Energy Innovation and enable construction of the 海角社区 Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building, the university鈥檚 top capital priority. With Shell鈥檚 investment as founding partner, the new Institute for Energy Innovation will advance reliable, affordable, environmentally responsible energy for all through a just pathway.  

This latest investment by Shell, a longtime partner of 海角社区, is the university鈥檚 largest gift ever from a for-profit corporation and its largest gift ever in support of energy-related initiatives. Shell will dedicate $25 million to launching the 海角社区 Institute for Energy Innovation and $2.5 million to constructing the 海角社区 Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building, anchoring Shell鈥檚 campus presence through a highly visible, Shell-branded space for research and learning.

鈥淟ouisiana is a great example of corporations, government and society coming together to address climate change and support a changing energy system,鈥� said Shell USA, Inc., President Gretchen Watkins. 鈥淭he energy produced and refined along the state鈥檚 working coast provides crucial energy for the United States today. In partnership with 海角社区, we can build on this legacy of oil and gas prosperity while further developing lower-carbon energies and technologies to progress Louisiana鈥檚 energy future. Together, we can create the next generation of energy leaders and help build a net-zero emissions United States.鈥�

Shell鈥檚 industry-leading partnership with 海角社区 epitomizes the university鈥檚 commitment to working with global energy leaders to find new ways to fuel the nation 鈥� a core focus of . 海角社区 and Shell will serve as a national model for energy-related collaboration at the intersection of science and engineering, seizing the urgent opportunity for scholarship and solution delivery within the areas of hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS); the coast; and low carbon fuels.

鈥淓nergy represents a central driver of Louisiana鈥檚 economy, and Louisiana buttresses the nation鈥檚 energy supply, putting 海角社区 in the unique position to partner with industry to discover innovative methods to fuel our nation,鈥� 海角社区 President William F. Tate IV said. 鈥淭ogether with Shell, we invite fellow industry leaders to join us in pioneering the research and development pathways forward to protect and preserve Louisiana鈥檚 energy economy, while meeting the nation鈥檚 future energy needs.鈥�

Through the creation of the Institute for Energy Innovation, leaders in energy-related thought, talent and industrial impact will have the opportunity to invest in the pursuit of a shared vision for the future of energy. Shell鈥檚 $25 million commitment to the institute will provide funding for a five-year vision for the institute rooted in five work streams: talent, research and development, policy and economics, social and environmental justice, and technology transfer and commercialization. The institute will be led by a full-time executive director, with guidance from an advisory committee and supported by steering committees, professionals in residence and graduate assistants specializing in each of the three focus areas: hydrogen/CCUS, coast and low carbon fuels.

The cross-disciplinary nature of the Institute for Energy Innovation will span 海角社区鈥檚 broad range of academic areas, providing a framework with pathways for its colleges campuswide to be part of building and continuously elevating the work and impact of the institute. Collaboration across the 海角社区 system is also likely as Shell and 海角社区 jointly build a research platform for energy resilience. Shell鈥檚 catalytic leadership gift will be further maximized through the impact of the State of Louisiana鈥檚 recent $5 million commitment of one-time funds to improve energy-related research at 海角社区, enabling the university to become a national leader in CCUS.

鈥淎s a legacy energy state on the front lines of climate change, Louisiana is uniquely positioned to forge meaningful solutions for a clean energy future,鈥� Gov. John Bel Edwards said. 鈥淭his partnership between Shell and Louisiana鈥檚 flagship university supports the continued vitality of our state鈥檚 energy industry as well as Louisiana鈥檚 emerging role as a national leader in carbon management. I look forward to the contributions 海角社区 and Shell will continue to make here in Louisiana to global energy innovation.鈥�

The impact of Shell鈥檚 $2.5 million gift in support of the will be realized through the construction of a 148,000-square-foot, four-story epicenter for academics, research and industry collaboration. Located on the corner of Tower Drive and South Stadium Drive, the $109 million building will be a central hub for 海角社区 faculty and students across science disciplines to collaborate on nearly $35 million in annual research awards. Included within the space will be a CCUS-focused energy incubator, providing seamless integration with the work of the Institute for Energy Innovation.

Additionally, once constructed, the Our Lady of the Lake Interdisciplinary Science Building will instantly close more than half of the College of Science鈥檚 current gap in educational and lab space needs within its five disciplines: biological sciences, chemistry, geology and geophysics, mathematics and physics and astronomy. Demand for increased educational and lab space has grown as the college has marked four consecutive years of enrollment growth while teaching almost one-quarter of all student credit hours at 海角社区 and roughly one-third of total instruction for freshmen and sophomore students. 

Shell鈥檚 gift is part of the university鈥檚 $1.5 billion , the largest campaign for higher education in the history of Louisiana. Today鈥檚 announcement is the latest transformative investment in 海角社区鈥檚 Scholarship First Agenda, focused on creating solutions that are essential to the future of agriculture, biotechnology, the coast, defense and energy within Louisiana and throughout the nation. 海角社区 will ascend to its potential to lead the nation in these five key areas through a combination of private, state and federal support. Learn more about the Scholarship First Agenda at .