Penn receives $10M gift to advance interdisciplinary work on climate and sustainability

The University of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce a $10 million gift from alumnus Alp Ercil to establish the Penn Climate Sustainability Initiative, which will draw upon Penn’s strengths in interdisciplinary teaching and research to address climate and sustainability from multiple perspectives. 

“Penn has promised to lead on the greatest challenges of our time, and climate change may be the greatest challenge of all,” says Penn Interim President J. Larry Jameson. “Thanks to the groundbreaking work of Penn researchers and scientists, we are already seeing amazing breakthroughs. We are tremendously grateful to Alp Ercil for his inspirational commitment, which will allow us to accelerate our efforts. We will draw on our collective strengths in climate science and policy to advance our understanding of these challenges and discover solutions that will make a difference around the world.” 

Building on Penn’s leadership in fostering collaboration across academic disciplines, the Climate Sustainability Initiative will create a unique university-wide initiative that brings together all 12 Schools on campus, as well as interdisciplinary programs including the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, the Environmental Innovations Initiative, and the Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. 

The Penn Climate Sustainability Initiative will also accelerate the campus-wide Climate and Sustainability Action Plan and enhance Penn’s contribution to the global policy debate.  

“Penn has the key pieces in place to make a significant contribution to the urgent issue of climate change,” said Ercil. “I am thrilled to help advance this work, accelerate innovation, and strengthen Penn’s role at the forefront of this field.” 

Leading on climate change is one of the key priorities of In Principle and Practice, Penn’s strategic framework. The University’s commitment to this issue is broad, ranging from leading in energy science and policy to designing and caring for the built environment. To realize these goals, Penn will support and recruit the best minds in the field, fuel initiatives that advance knowledge and promise solutions, and adopt institutional best practices for the sake of the future of the planet.   

Ercil’s commitment will serve as a catalyst for this important work, providing needed funds for priority initiatives to be determined in partnership among the Interim President, Provost John L. Jackson Jr., and a soon-to-be appointed inaugural Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action. 

“This support from Alp Ercil comes at the perfect time, as we implement our strategic framework and prepare to introduce the new Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action,” explained Jackson. “The Penn Climate Sustainability Initiative will advance Penn’s strengths in this critical field by accelerating interdisciplinary connections and building collaborations on our campus and beyond.” 

Alp Ercil is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Asia Research and Capital Management, Ltd., a Hong Kong and Dubai-based investment management firm founded in 2011. He is a 1995 graduate of Penn’s Management & Technology (M&T) Program, a dual-degree program in which he earned a B.S in Economics from Wharton and a B.S. in Systems Engineering from Penn Engineering. An active Penn volunteer, Ercil is a current member of the Penn Asia Leadership Committee and an emeritus member of Undergraduate Financial Aid Leadership Council (UFLC). He also participates in the Alumni Ambassador Program (formerly known as the Penn Alumni Interview Program). His past gifts to Penn have supported the Ercil Endowed Scholarship, the M&T Integration Lab, and the UFLC Challenge Fund.