Alum Endows $1M MSE Chair

Dylan Taylor grew up spending time in his father's laboratories at the University of Idaho. When he was ready to attend college for MSE, his dad, Patrick R. Taylor, made a few recommendations. Among them, the University of Arizona.

In honor of his father, and his alma mater, Dylan Taylor and his wife, Gabrielle, are making a $1 million gift to create the Patrick R. Taylor Endowed Department Leadership Chair in Materials Science and Engineering. Endowed chairs help the university attract and retain distinguished faculty members, as the annual payout from the endowment provides its recipient with unrestricted funding for scientific pursuits.

"My dad has always been a great example of someone who really loves what he does," said Dylan Taylor, adding that the endowed chair was a perfect way to commemorate his father's lasting impact in the field and on his family. "He's been a source of inspiration to me my whole life."

He told his dad about the endowment on Sunday, as a Fathers' Day gift.

"MSE is the department I graduated from, so that's near and dear to my heart," said Dylan Taylor, an Honors College student who earned his bachelor's degree as a Tau Beta Pi in 1993. "The education was first class, and the overall experience was fantastic. I feel a deep sense of gratitude to the university."

The University of Arizona ranks in the top 4% of all U.S. universities in research and development expenditures, according to 2021 data from the National Science Foundation. MSE researchers are working in diverse areas including space mining, quantum science, additive manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

"This gift is remarkable for so many reasons," said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. "Whenever an alumnus chooses to give back, they not only affirm the value of a University of Arizona education, but they also leverage their post-graduation success to benefit the institution in perpetuity. Dylan Taylor has gone one step further by honoring his dad with an incredible Father's Day gift. I am inspired and grateful for this generosity."