Iowa State University receives support from Dr. John M. Graether to advance climate science education
AMES, Iowa – Surgical innovator Dr. John M. Graether of Marshalltown, Iowa, has provided $2.2 million to establish the Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement, which will help advance climate science education at Iowa State University and afford students the opportunity to graduate in this vital area of study and be prepared for careers in business, government, teaching and research.
The fund will provide support for the department of geological and atmospheric sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to grow interdisciplinary climate science programming that would include such areas of studies as statistics, mathematics, computer science, sociology, communication, design, and others.
“This gift is extraordinary in many ways,” said Beate Schmittmann, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “The visionary nature of this endowment paves the way for a new, interdisciplinary educational program that pairs innovative research in the college with exactly what today’s students are looking for – an opportunity to change the world for the better.”
Through expanded programming, students will gain a solid foundation in how the climate system works, knowledge about impacts to society and sustainability and mitigation options from climate change, and competency in data analysis and science communication. Students could also specialize in areas of climate science such as advanced climate science, science communication, and sustainability design and planning.
The newly established endowed fund will support faculty and staff in the development and coordination of programming, as well as scholarships and undergraduate research experiences relevant to climate science. Funds may also support a variety of other student-learning activities, such as field trips and field courses, equipment and conference travel support, as well as climate-education outreach activities, some of which would involve Iowa State’s award-winning student chapter of the American Meteorological Society.
“The impact of changes in the earth’s climate on our shared future is now being taken seriously around the world. To respond to this existential crisis, we must quickly learn what we can realistically do to address the problems we face and develop solutions that are both effective and socially responsible so that they will actually be implemented by society. This effort will take extraordinary leadership,” Graether said. “My intent in establishing the Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement at Iowa State is to empower graduates with not only the knowledge to meet the needs of a world under pressure from climate change, but also with the empathy and skill to convince the public of the stakes so that, with collective determination and fortitude, we can restore our fragile planet to benefit all humankind.”
Graether is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and completed his residency at the University of Iowa’s department of ophthalmology. He served as an ophthalmic surgeon at the Wolfe Eye Clinic from 1962 until his retirement in 2014. He invented several instruments and techniques in ophthalmic surgery and ophthalmic photography and has been awarded several patents. He and his late wife, Irene, had one son, Bruce, now deceased, who graduated from Iowa State University in 1979 with a degree in physics.
Graether made the gift commitment through the Iowa State University Foundation. The foundation is a private, nonprofit organization committed to securing and managing gifts that benefit Iowa State University. The Forever True, For Iowa State campaign, with a historic goal to raise $1.5 billion, will help support Iowa State in becoming the premier land-grant university for the 21st century and beyond.
Contact:
Amy Juhnke, director of communications, Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 515.294.0461, ajuhnke@iastate.edu
Elaine Watkins-Miller, Communications, Iowa State University Foundation, 515.294.1005, ewmiller@foundation.iastate.edu
January 11, 2021