Mindtree chairman and spouse give $1 million to University of Florida College of Engineering
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The University of Florida College of Engineering’s future Innovation Nexus Building will add to its list of distinguished underwriters Subroto and Susmita Bagchi, who have announced a $1 million gift to UF. Their gift will be used to support the Engineering Innovation Nexus Building, a new facility to be located at the heart of UF, directly across from a newly remodeled Reitz Student Union.
Subroto is the co-founder and chairman of Mindtree, a global technology services company that accelerates growth for Global 1000 companies by solving complex business challenges with expertise-led innovations.
“The relationship between Mindtree and the college has been a win-win from the very start,” said Cammy Abernathy, dean of the College of Engineering. “But the friendship and support that Susmita and Subroto have shown us as individuals, on a personal level, is particularly special. They care so much about education – especially engineering education - and about fueling it with their love for humanity and creativity.”
Subroto’s ties with the College of Engineering and Gainesville began in 2011 after UF and the State of Florida invited Mindtree to open a U.S. Development Center in Gainesville. They did, and are on track to create 400 new jobs, on top of establishing a key talent pipeline with the college. Susmita Bagchi is a distinguished writer in India.
“Susmita and I have great affection for the University of Florida, and its efforts to be at the leading edge of education and research,” said Subroto Bagchi. “They have played a significant role in bringing Mindtree to Florida and made us feel at home. Their vision to create a world-class infrastructure for the engineering college is an exciting opportunity for us to support. We believe their work will have enduring value for people of the world. We look forward to an enduring relationship.”
The Innovation Nexus Building is the college’s main physical contribution to UF’s Preeminence Initiative. The key pillars of the college – leadership, innovation and interdisciplinary research – are expected to be reflected in the design of the building, and further represented in the programs and facilities housed inside it, including a freshman design lab, a prototyping lab, an advanced manufacturing facility, an engineering experiment station and several biotech labs. In addition, there will also be 21st-century classrooms. It is expected to cost $53 million in total to build and will become the flagship building of the college. World-renowned, London-based architectural firm Grimshaw was recently appointed to design the Innovation Nexus Building. First drawings are expected to be released by end of this year.
Credits
Contacts:
University of Florida
Cammy Abernathy, Dean, UF College of Engineering
Tel: 352-392-6000
Email: thedean@eng.ufl.edu
Mindtree
David Barkoe
Max Borges Agency for Mindtree
917-359-7222
davidbarkoe@maxborgesagency.com