Duke University has announced a $5.5 million commitment from alumnus and trustee Ralph Eads ('81) and his wife, Lisa, in support of its Energy Initiative and other programs.

The gift includes $4.25 million for the initiative, a university-wide collaboration that aims to educate future leaders abut energy-related issues, support research, and promote engagement with business leaders and policy makers to help meet energy demands now and in the future, while supporting a competitive and prosperous economy, advocating for reductions in the environmental impact of energy use, and addressing energy security concerns. Among other things, the gift will support the establishment of the new Eads Professor of the Practice in Energy Finance, an Energy Fellows program that enables visiting experts to collaborate with student and faculty fellows on research and engagement; conferences and workshops; and the creation of a targeted research program.

The remaining $1.25 million will support the Duke Annual Funds in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, the Sanford School of Public Policy, the Fuqua School of Business, and Duke Athletics. Ralph Eads, vice chair of investment bank Jefferies & Co. — where he chairs the global energy section — serves on the steering committee of Duke Forward, a $3.25 billion fundraising campaign launched last fall.

"In creating the Energy Initiative, Duke's leaders recognized that the resources of the entire university can and should be put to work to answer the complex, multifaceted questions surrounding our global energy future," said Eads. "I'm proud to work with Duke's leadership to help the university develop programming designed to solve important global energy problems."