Commitment Overview

The mission of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. Caltech is committed to finding solutions to the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society.

As an alumnus and trustee of Caltech, Gordon Moore has a special connection to the university. The Foundation has committed $300 million in potential grants over 10 years to Caltech to support the institution in maintaining its position at the forefront of higher education and scientific research. The grants, combined with an additional personal gift of $300 million from Gordon and Betty Moore, make Caltech the recipient of the largest donation ever made to an institution of higher learning. While Caltech is relatively small, it attracts world-renowned scientists and engineers, and is pursuing some of the most extraordinary and poignant research in science today. Partly because of its small size, it has a unique capacity to conduct multidisciplinary research.

Projects funded to-date:

• Center for Integrative Study of Cell Regulation
• Proteome Exploration Laboratory
• Center for Theoretical Cosmology and Physics
• Center for Cosmochemistry and Geochemical Microanalysis
• Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology
• Student Diversity Programs
• Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy
• Information Science and Technology Initiative
• Tectonics Observatory
• Nanoscale Systems Initiative
• Program Cost Support
• Beamline Observatory
• Cryoelectron Microscopy Laboratory
• Center for Analysis of Higher Brain Function