Engineer Creates Sustainability Endowment At Texas A&M

A graduate of the Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University has established an endowment to support sustainability efforts at his alma mater.

H.W. (Bill) Clark of Friendswood, Texas, is a 1974 graduate of the college. A chemical engineering major, Clark is an Eagle Scout, served eight years in the U.S. Army and worked for the Dow Chemical Co. for more than 35 years. With matching gifts from Dow, Clark created the endowment through the Texas A&M Foundation to support research and implementation projects to preserve the earth’s natural resources for future generations.

“Sustainability is the key issue of the 21st century due to continuing evidence of damage to the earth’s ecology from fossil fuel-related consumption,” said Clark. “The United States must set an example for the rest of the world by moving to a sustainable economy. And most important, I want my two sons and future grandchildren to have a positive future.”

Clark’s endowment will promote research in multiple areas of sustainable development, including fossil fuel replacements, transportation alternatives, plant products, ocean ecology and climate change.

Funds from the endowment will be allocated to researchers at Texas A&M based on the merit of their projects. Clark hopes his gift will help Texas A&M become a global leader in sustainability research.

“I have always believed Texas A&M is a world-class university, making a global impact,” said Clark. “My Aggie experience brought many blessings into my life, and I wanted to give something back.”