The Kaiser Foundation for Higher Education has donated $4
million to UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science. It is the largest
private sector donation in the faculty’s history.
The gift, which will help fund the development of a new Electrical
and Computer Engineering Building, celebrates the accomplishments
of Fred Kaiser, founder of Alpha Technologies and Chairman
and CEO of Alpha Technologies Inc., one of the world’s largest
power engineering and manufacturing companies.
The gift will assist the Faculty of Applied Science develop
a state-of-the-art building containing modern laboratories
and equipment, with the interest of naming the building in
honour of Kaiser. The gift comes after the provincial government’s
recent announcement of funding to help construct that building
and two others in order to provide more space for growing
student enrollments.
As an active member of the faculty’s Engineering Advisory
Council, Kaiser provides guidance to the faculty on its directions
in engineering education and research.
"We are truly inspired to do great things because of
Fred’s expressed confidence in us," says Michael Isaacson,
dean of the Faculty of Applied Science. "As a result
of this gift, the quality of our students’ education will
be significantly enhanced; and our researchers will benefit
greatly from the improved research environment."
UBC President Martha Piper echoed Isaacson’s sentiments:
"I want to thank Fred Kaiser, Lynda Hogarth, and the
other trustees of the Kaiser Foundation for having the vision,
the courage and the ambition to make this contribution."
"We hope this gift will have a significant and lasting
impact on engineering education at UBC; we see it as a personal
way to help the university, and honour Fred at the same time,"
says Lynda Hogarth, Trustee of the Foundation.
Fred Kaiser graduated in 1965 with a degree in Electrical
Engineering from the Ohm Technical University in Nuremberg,
Germany. He later completed technical and management courses
at the British Columbia Institute for Technology as well as
a Diploma in Marketing Management from UBC in 1977.
Alpha Technologies employs more than 2,000 people and operates
from more than 65,000 square metres of manufacturing space
spanning five continents. The company provides power protection
and energy backup to networks providing advanced voice, video
and data services and is also engaged in areas of alternate
energy and energy co-generation.
The Faculty of Applied Science is one of 12 faculties at
UBC. It includes six engineering departments, and has an enrollment
of more than 3,000 engineering students.
-30-
