Caltech announced the establishment of the Li Innovation Fund through a gift from The Li Foundation, created by alumna Lu Li and her husband. The fund includes both an endowed Li Innovation Fund and a current-use Li Innovation Fund supporting research and programs in Caltech’s Division of Engineering and Applied Science.
Li, who earned her master’s degree from Caltech in 2015, established The Li Foundation with her husband to support initiatives including scientific research and technological innovation.
The fund was partly inspired by the couple’s continuing relationships with Caltech faculty members.
Areas of interest include work by Adam Wierman, Carl F Braun Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, and Steven Low, Frank J. Gilloon Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences and Electrical Engineering.
Their research intersects with efforts to improve the sustainability and resilience of electrical grids as renewable energy, electrification, and rapidly growing data center demand place new pressures on power infrastructure.
Caltech said the Li Innovation Fund is designed to give researchers flexibility to pursue new ideas and programs capable of producing long-term scientific and societal impact.
Li’s philanthropic approach was influenced by her parents, both professors, who quietly paid living expenses for financially vulnerable students so they could continue their education.
KEY QUOTES:
“We believe that giving back will help fundamental scientific research and tech innovation progress. Ultimately this benefits future generations and builds a better planet for the greater good.”
Lu Li, Caltech Alumna and Founder of The Li Foundation
“Breakthroughs in science and technology are what drives human progress and the evolution of civilization.”
Lu Li, Caltech Alumna and Founder of The Li Foundation
