NAE Receives $10 Million Endowment from The Grainger Foundation

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is pleased to announce a $10 million endowment from The Grainger Foundation to support the Frontiers of Engineering program. This generous commitment from The Grainger Foundation builds on more than a decade of philanthropic support to Frontiers of Engineering, which totals more than $19 million since 2008.

“Our focus in education and workforce development within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has strengthened over the years,” noted John L. Howard, chairman of The Grainger Foundation. “Frontiers of Engineering aligns with our mission, supports our focus, and fulfills our passion by preparing future engineers for a world we have yet to imagine. It is an honor to be a part of this worthwhile program.”

Frontiers of Engineering holds a series of symposia that bring together a select group of emerging engineering leaders from industry, academia, and government labs to discuss pioneering technical work and leading edge research in various engineering fields and industry sectors. The symposia connect early-career engineers to facilitate collaboration in engineering, enable the transfer of new techniques and approaches across fields, and establish lifelong contacts among the next generation of engineering leaders.

There are five meetings in the Frontiers of Engineering portfolio: the U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium held annually, and a rotating schedule of Frontiers of Engineering symposia with Germany, Japan, China, and the European Union. 

“The Grainger Foundation has been a strong supporter of the Frontiers of Engineering program for more than a decade,” said NAE President John L. Anderson. “We’re honored that The Grainger Foundation is making such a notable investment in future engineers by supporting ongoing Frontiers of Engineering efforts and ensuring a sustainable future for the program.”

The Grainger Foundation is an independent private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Established in 1967, the Foundation provides substantive support to a broad range of organizations including educational, medical, cultural, and human services institutions.

Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. Its mission is to advance the welfare and prosperity of the nation by providing independent advice on matters involving engineering and technology, and by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and public appreciation of engineering. The NAE is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.