The Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) and the College of Chemical & Life Sciences will share equally in a $400K bequest from the estate of Mrs. Virginia Murray, made in honor of her late husband, alumnus Guy Edward Murray (B.S. '36, chemistry). Murray worked as a chemical engineer for Western Electric for 37 years before retiring in 1973. He was born in Washington, D.C., and most recently lived in Salisbury, Md.

The Murrays designated their gift for the purchase of new equipment. ChBE will use the endowed funds in three ways: to continue to upgrade its Unit Operations Laboratory, an integral part of its undergraduate program; to establish and contribute to the The James Blakeley Lowe and Virginia Murray Endowment for Undergraduate Laboratories; and as a matching fund for ChBE faculty to use in the purchase of research equipment.

"We're very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Murray," said ChBE professor and Chair F. Joseph Schork. "ChBE prides itself on the quantity and quality of the undergraduate research experiences we offer our students. The Murray bequest will allow us to improve instruction in our Unit Operations Lab, moving it in new directions such as biomolecular engineering and alternative energy, and to enhance the research programs of our faculty.”

To learn more about the University's Great Expectations campaign and how you can make a difference in the Clark School’s progress, please contact Leslie Borak.

January 21, 2009