CCST Fellow Irwin Jacobs, co-founder and CEO of QUALCOMM, announced a $14.5 million gift to San Diego State University, the largest single donation in SDSU's history.

"We see education as the most powerful tool to enable success for our community, both socially and economically," said Jacobs. "Partnering with SDSU, a university with a reputation for community development and educational excellence, will ensure that these educational initiatives will have a far-reaching effect throughout San Diego County."

The gift will establish the QUALCOMM Institute for Innovation and Success, whose goal will be to identify and address major issues critical to the long-term prosperity of the San Diego region. The QUALCOMM Institute will support professional development for teachers, curriculum improvement and institutional transformation in schools throughout San Diego and other parts of the country. The goal is to improve the level of instruction across the educational continuum, supporting teachers and students at K-12 schools, universities and beyond.

CCST identified education as a principal concern for the state's science and engineering community in 2002 with its Critical Path Analysis of California's Science and Technology Education System. The comprehensive approach of the QUALCOMM Institute, addressing science and math education issues from K-12 through postgraduate school, reflects the systemic approach recommended by the Critical Path Analysis. Such constructive support for science and math education is particularly important at a time when state funding is limited.

"The QUALCOMM Institute will develop a new strategic plan for education in San Diego, one that broadens the traditional scope of literacy to include a much higher level of mathematical and technical skills," said Stephen Weber, president of SDSU. "These skill sets are essential for San Diego to thrive and prosper, because virtually all professional fields, from business to health care to education, are becoming more dependent on mathematics and technology."

Jacobs was an associate professor of electrical engineering at MIT, and a staff member of the Research Laboratory of Electronics. He was a NASA Resident Research Fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is currently a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He also serves on the National Academy of Engineering Industry Advisory Board. In 1994, he received the United States National Medal of Technology, the highest award bestowed by the President, "for extraordinary achievements in the commercialization of technology or the development of human resources that foster technology commercialization."

"This partnership represents a true collaboration," said Jacobs. "We're combining our strengths and resources to make a sustainable difference in our region's educational system. It's the only way things are going to change for the better."