Newswise — A $4 million gift from the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation, named for the University of Michigan's class of 1982 graduate, will establish the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Flight Vehicle Institute in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at U-M.
Bagnoud's mother, Albina du Boisrouvray, will visit campus Oct. 6 to sign the agreement that establishes the institute. Alon Kasha, one of Bagnoud's closest friends and former roommate at U-M, will also be present.
The institute will house all other programs previously established by Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation, which include: the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Professorship of Aerospace Engineering, the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Fellowships, and the Center for Rotary and Fixed Wing Air Vehicle Design Center. The gift will establish a permanent endowment to support the graduate fellows, as well as other activities of the new Institute. Gifts from the FXB Foundation to U-M currently total $12.8 million.
Francois-Xavier Bagnoud entered the Department of Aerospace Engineering in 1979 and graduated three years later with a degree in aerospace engineering. Bagnoud was passionate about flying, and wanted to use the technology to help society. At age 23, he joined his father's company, Air Glaciers, a private rescue and mountain flying company in the Swiss Canton, Valais.
On Jan.14, 1986, Bagnoud was killed in a helicopter accident, at age 24, while flying over the desert in Mali, West Africa. At the time, he was the youngest professional instrument rated (IFR) pilot in Europe of both single-wing airplanes and helicopters. His parents, Albina du Boisrouvray and Bruno Bagnoud, his stepfather George Casati, and friends started the François -Xavier Bagnoud Foundation shortly thereafter to continue his spirit of generosity and rescue. The foundation's generosity over the years has helped make the U-M Aerospace Engineering Department a world leader.
"This department was the first aerospace engineering department in the U.S," said Wei Shyy, the Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, and department chair. "We'll use this opportunity to further solidify the reputation of the college. I think the institute will be viewed as the intellectual arm of our department."
The College of Engineering is 28 months into its Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign, with the goal of raising $300 million by 2008. It is part of the Michigan Difference, U-M's $2.5 billion fund-raising campaign.
Following the signing, another U-M alum will be honored. Representatives from NASA will present former astronaut and Michigan alumnus James McDivitt with the Ambassador of Exploration Award at 3:30 p.m. in Boeing Auditorium in the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building. The award, a sample of lunar material encased in Lucite and mounted, will remain on display for public viewing in the building. The doors will open to the public at 3:15 p.m.
McDivitt was command pilot for Gemini 4 in June of 1965 and was the commander of Apollo 9, launched in March of 1969. In August 1969 he became manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program and was program manager for Apollo 12 through 16. NASA is honoring astronauts and other key individuals who participated in Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs. All aerospace engineering and atmospheric oceanic and space sciences faculty and students are invited to attend the ceremony.
The U-M College of Engineering is ranked among the top engineering schools in the country. Michigan Engineering boasts one of the largest engineering research budgets of any public university, at more than $130 million. Michigan Engineering has 11 departments and two NSF Engineering Research Centers. Within those departments and centers, there is a special emphasis on research in three emerging areas: nanotechnology and integrated microsystems; cellular and molecular biotechnology; and information technology. Michigan Engineering is seeking to raise $110 million for capital building projects and program support in these areas to further research discovery. Michigan Engineering's goal is to advance academic scholarship and market cutting-edge research to improve public health and well-being. For more information, see the Michigan Engineering home page: http://www.engin.umich.edu
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