ATLANTA — The Delta Air Lines Foundation has pledged $5 million to support the construction of a new Aerospace Engineering Building at Georgia Tech. The investment is intended to expand research capabilities and innovation within the aviation industry.
The project will support the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, which is ranked as the top public aerospace program in the country and No. 2 overall by U.S. News & World Report. The school currently enrolls more than 2,300 students and manages $54.5 million in annual aerospace-related research.
The new facility will provide space for expanded research in several emerging fields. These areas include advanced aircraft design, propulsion, materials, cybersecurity and autonomy. Researchers will also focus on technologies such as hydrogen power and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) concepts.
Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech, said the school’s participation will help develop talent and research to secure the state’s position as an aerospace technology hub. Cabrera has served as the university’s president since 2019.
“I am deeply grateful to The Delta Air Lines Foundation for their support of this new world-class facility that will house one of the best aerospace engineering programs in the world,” Cabrera said.
The investment marks a continued collaboration between Georgia Tech and the foundation. John Laughter serves as a trustee for The Delta Air Lines Foundation and is a graduate of Georgia Tech.
“At The Delta Air Lines Foundation, we are committed to supporting education to advance the future of aviation,” Laughter said. “Our collaboration with Georgia Tech reflects our belief in the impact of innovation and sustainable technologies.”
Mitchell Walker, the William R.T. Oakes Jr. School Chair in the Guggenheim School, said the new spaces will allow for more rigorous, hands-on instruction. The school aims to use the facility to convene leaders in the field and accelerate work in sustainable flight.
“This commitment from The Delta Air Lines Foundation strengthens our ability to deliver a rigorous, hands-on aerospace engineering education through modern spaces for research, instruction and collaboration,” Walker said.
The $5 million commitment is part of a larger fundraising effort known as Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech. The university stated the gift aligns with goals to expand the aerospace program and bolster the talent pipeline for the Southeast.
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