Endowed Chairs

A Gift in Perpetuity

 
During The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What s Next, friends of Scripps generously supported the establishment of three faculty endowments to enhance the institution's faculty recruitment and retention efforts:

McQuown Chair in Natural Science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

The McQuown Chair has been established by John and Leslie McQuown to support a stellar faculty member who contributes to education and research programs in complex systems, environmental forecasting and resource issues.  The chair holder will also encourage collaborations across academic disciplines as well as with governmental and industrial partners to facilitate solutions to the challenges of sustainable marine resource management, especially through the application of marketing and management tools. 

Mr. McQuown is a founder and chairman of KMV LLC, which was acquired by Moody s in 2002.  Moody s KMV is the world s leading provider of quantitative credit analysis solutions to lenders, investors and corporations.  Mr. McQuown remains the non-executive chairman of the internal board and a member of the company s executive office. 

Mr. McQuown developed an interest in the oceans and took up scuba diving in the mid-1970 s in order to spend time in the waters of Southern California and Hawaii.  He has attended several workshops at Scripps on marine mammals and marine biology, and has participated in a cruise with UCSD Professor Steven Leatherwood studying humpback whales.

Elizabeth Hamman and Morgan Dene Oliver Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science

The Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science was established by Elizabeth Hamman Oliver and Morgan Dene Oliver to support research and teaching efforts related to marine biodiversity and conservation science.

Mr. Oliver is CEO of Oliver McMillan Co., one of the largest commercial development firms headquartered in San Diego.  He has been recognized for producing major architectural award-winning projects throughout the Southwest.  Mr. Oliver is a graduate of UC Berkeley, where he received a B.S. in real estate and urban land economics from the School of Business Administration. 

Mrs. Oliver serves as a member of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Director s Cabinet.  She studied art at Vanderbilt University.  Together, the couple supports a number of nonprofit organizations including the UCSD Art Gallery, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the San Diego Symphony, the Ocean Conservancy and the Museum of Photographic Arts.

Roger Revelle Chair in Environmental Science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

The Roger Revelle Chair in Environmental Science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography was established to honor Roger Revelle, one of the world s most highly regarded oceanographers, who also is considered to be the father of UC San Diego. The gift from Revelle s wife, Ellen, and family represents the largest single donation ever made for an endowed chair in the 104-year history of Scripps Oceanography.  Funds for the endowed chair will be used to recruit an outstanding climate scientist for Scripps, one of the world s foremost climate change research institutions.

Roger Revelle (1909-1991) was one of the nation's most prominent oceanographers and a world leader in the application of science and technology to help solve problems in developing countries.  Revelle, one of the true pioneers of climate change research, is often described as the "grandfather of the greenhouse effect."  Revelle s research on climate change was a major factor in his selection for the National Medal of Science, which he was presented with in 1990 from then-President George H.W. Bush. 

Long associated with the University of California, Revelle was director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography from 1951 to 1964.  His vision and energies led to the establishment of the UC San Diego campus in 1960, where he was a professor of science and public policy.  In 1965, the first of UC San Diego s six colleges was named Revelle College in his honor.

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Have questions about supporting or creating an endowed chair? Scripps Development is happy to help. Call us at (858) 822-1865 or email supportscripps@ucsd.edu.