The Grainger College of Engineering

Critical research thrives thanks to priority fund gifts

5/7/2021

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In the spring of 2020, Professor Nigel Goldenfeld paused his research to focus on developing mathematical models of COVID-19 for the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Public Health. Professor Goldenfeld and his research team were able to develop a model to predict the course of the epidemic, predict hospital utilization, and were able to quickly respond to requests from the State’s medical teams using the tools of computational epidemiology.

Additionally, Professor Goldenfeld has helped develop and lead the SHIELD program that has enabled the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to remain open in a hybrid teaching mode and swiftly respond to test results from the campus community.

Nigel Goldenfeld

“We did not have the time to write external grants and could not rely on traditional and slow funding vehicles. Instead, we are supported by philanthropic funds that enable us to use necessary supercomputer resources which would otherwise not be accessible.”

Nigel Goldenfeld
Swanlund Chair, Professor of Physics

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Support to the Grainger Engineering Priority Fund provides vital, unrestricted funding that allows us to strategically invest in critical initiatives and supports our most pressing needs - including how we respond in times of global crisis.

Among the many ways gifts to the Grainger Engineering Priority Fund supports The Grainger College of Engineering, the generosity of our alumni and friends allows us to address challenges, both new and those we can’t anticipate.

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This story was published May 7, 2021.