Thank you, David Nicholson!

Neuroscience is a key pillar in our strategic plan, and FAU is determined to become a world-class center of neurological and mental health research and education. A new gift totaling $10 million from longtime supporter David J. S. Nicholson will play an important role in that effort.

His generous $9.22 million gift expands on the Florida legislature’s initial investment of $35 million to establish a 58,000-square-foot neuroscience building on the John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. Construction is underway on the building, which will now be named FAU’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. The gift will expand and fuel this innovative facility with critical research faculty positions, focus-specific centers and cutting-edge laboratory technology — ultimately helping to create new jobs, accommodate more students in the STEM fields, and increase opportunities for funded research. Regularly updated photos of the building’s construction are available at https://www.fau.edu/jupiter/neuro-building/.

The gift also will establish the David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professorship in Neuroscience, to be held by Dr. Randy Blakely; and the David and Lynn Nicholson Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, which will focus on better understanding and treating Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, the gift will establish the Stiles-Nicholson STEM Teacher Academy to provide STEM training programs for educators.

A recent $780,000 gift from David supports the ASCEND (Advancing STEM Community Engagement through Neuroscience Discovery) Program, which seeks to increase access to and interest in STEM fields for the next generation of scientists.

David Nicholson’s dedication to improving and enhancing the lives of students — and scaling that work to impact our world at large — mirrors what we have been working toward as this University enters into a new era of excellence. FAU is well on its way to making a significant contribution to the field of neuroscience, and I’m confident that some of the most important discoveries of the future will take place at the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute.

Thank you, David, for your partnership and for this game-changing investment in FAU!