University of Wisconsin–Madison has announced commitments totaling $175 million from alumnus John and Tashia Morgridge ('55) and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation to help launch its School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences.

The foundation pledged $50 million, while the Morgridges pledged $125 million, which includes a $50 million challenge grant that will provide a 1:1 match to raise another $50 million from other donors. The new school will bring together the university's Computer Sciences and Statistics departments and the Information School in a new 300,000-square-foot facility that will serve as a hub for Wisconsin's tech ecosystem, fostering academic research, supporting booming student interest, and hosting collaborations with industry and community partners. Designed to be the most sustainable building on campus, the building also will focus on creating a more inclusive and diverse tech community.

The funding for the building, which will also house the Center for High Throughput Computing, the American Family Insurance Data Science Institute, and the Department of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, will accelerate construction, scheduled to begin in 2023 and wrap by the end of 2024.

"The school will enhance our ability to tackle the big challenges in data-rich sciences such as climate science, physics, and astronomy," said Eric Wilcots, professor of astronomy and dean of the College of Letters & Science. "The transformative power of CDIS is in the intersection of computing and data with the humanities and social sciences. This is how UW–Madison distinguishes itself amongst our peers."

"This is an investment in UW–Madison and the state of Wisconsin that will help secure their place in our shared future," said John Morgridge, former president, CEO, and board chair of Cisco Systems and a 2010 signatory of the Giving Pledge. "Tashia and I hope our commitment will inspire others to see the transformative potential of this project and help get it over the finish line."

(Photo credit: David Nevala)