Clifford C. Furnas Eminent Professors Fund

PhD students working in the Ketter Hall Wind Tunnel lab of Associate Professor, Teng Wu.

This fund supports students and professors who are conducting research in engineering and applied sciences.

Named for a former President of UB, this fund provides stipends to students holding Furnas Memorial Student Research Assistantships in UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. In addition, the fund honors professors who are both teaching and conducting research in engineering and applied sciences, providing them with the title of Clifford C. Furnas Eminent Professor.

Professors may hold the title as long as they continues teaching and conducting research at UB, and do not hold another academic title of eminence. More than one professor may concurrently hold the title of Clifford C. Furnas Eminent Professor. These Eminent Professors may each select a qualified student, who may then be funded for the purpose of working with the professor.

The fund is named in honor of Clifford C. Furnas, former Chancellor, President and President Emeritus of the University. He became the ninth chancellor of the private University of Buffalo in 1954. After guiding the University through the merger process with the State University of New York in 1962, Furnas became the first president of the State University of New York at Buffalo. Between 1955 and 1957 he was on a leave of absence to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense during the Eisenhower administration. Furnas was also an author, Olympic athlete, scientist, and expert on guided missiles. He retired from the University of Buffalo in 1966 and died in 1969.

The fund was established by Mrs. Clifford C. Furnas, Mr. Wilson Greatbatch and the Seymour H. Knox Foundation, Inc.

Make a Difference Now

Other Engineering and Applied Sciences Funds

previous next

Electrical Engineering Department Fund
8/24/26
Nowadays, most everything we use in our daily lives has a power source and a chip and implements some sophisticated communication protocol and data/signal processing algorithm.
Ruckenstein Endowment Fund
8/24/26
Professor Eli Ruckenstein has been a pioneer in numerous areas, advancing almost every area of interest to chemical engineers. He conducted both theoretical and experimental research that not only has increased scientists’ understanding of the fundamental phenomena of chemical processes, but has led to the development of enhanced research methods and new materials.
Engineering Education Resource Fund
8/24/26
At the Department of Engineering Education within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, we believe that the engineering education system in the United States succeeds in producing knowledgeable, competent and qualified engineers, but it could do so more effectively and efficiently. At the same time, the engineering education system in the U.S. fails to produce a diverse population of engineers at all degree levels.
Biomedical Engineering Development Fund
8/24/26
At the Department of Biomedical Engineering, we strive to improve the health and well-being of humans through education, research, and technology development at the intersection of engineering and health.
Engineering Fellowship and Scholarship Fund
8/24/26
Fellowships and scholarships play a critical role in helping the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences attract and retain leading students, further enhance the diversity of our student body, and remain one of the top public engineering universities in the Northeast.
Chemical and Biological Engineering Department Fund
8/24/26
The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department—part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences—is an international leader, creating innovative technological solutions to address global challenges in the areas of health, energy and the environment.
Industrial and Systems Engineering Resource Fund
8/24/26
Created in 1946, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering is one of the founding departments of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at UB. Here, we are committed to advancing research and education in numerous disciplines, including operations research, production systems, manufacturing, quality, simulation and human factors.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department Fund
8/24/26
In the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences), we realize that mechanical and aerospace engineers have the opportunity to change the world.
Gregory B. Jarvis Scholarship Fund
8/24/26
Established in 1986 by Mrs. Marcia Jarvis & Moog Controls, Inc., the fund provides annual scholarships in memory of Gregory B. Jarvis to undergraduate students pursuing a degree in the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Clifford C. Furnas Eminent Professors Fund
8/24/26
Named for a former President of UB, this fund provides stipends to students holding Furnas Memorial Student Research Assistantships in UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. In addition, the fund honors professors who are both teaching and conducting research in engineering and applied sciences, providing them with the title of Clifford C. Furnas Eminent Professor.
Materials Design and Innovation Fund
8/24/26
The Department of Materials Design and Innovation (MDI)—part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences—is the first department in the nation conceived and established entirely for training a new generation of scientists and engineers in the methods of data driven materials discovery and design.
Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering Department Fund
8/24/26
The Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering—part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences—is a vibrant engine for generating the knowledge, tools, and leadership needed to address society’s most challenging problems in the natural and built environments.
Computer Science and Engineering Department Fund
8/24/26
Founded in 1967 by a computing pioneer, the Computer Science and Engineering Department was one of the first in the nation.
Dr. John Zahorjan Student Scholarship Fund
8/24/26
Established in 2000 by the son of the late Dr. John Zahorjan, this fund supports engineering students who are eager to apply what they've learned in the classroom. Preference is given to students wishing to pursue the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management concentration in Production Management.
Rosalyn Z. Gammerman Scholarship Fund
8/24/26
The Rosalyn Z. Gammerman Scholarship Fund was established to provide a semester award to a worthy student completing “Technical Communications for Engineers.”
Matthew Grappone Scholarship Fund
8/24/26
Mattnew Grappone received his BS in Aerospace Engineering in 1987 and his BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1997, and was employed at Computer Information Technology (CIT — now known as UB Information Technology) at UB. Matt spent 12 of his 30 years connected with UB in these two areas, before he passed away unexpectedly.

News from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

previous next

Andrew Whittaker elected to National Academy of Engineering
2/23/26
An earthquake engineer, Whittaker’s work has made ‘countless communities and structures safer and more resilient’.
National Grid partners with SEAS to provide STEM experiences for local K-12 students
2/3/26
The partnership is helping students find wonder — and opportunity — in the science of everyday life.
Five SEAS faculty, staff receive SUNY Chancellor’s Awards
8/20/26
The awards recognize superior professional achievement and the ongoing pursuit of excellence.
Sriram Neelamegham named SUNY Distinguished Professor
6/25/26
Sriram Neelamegham, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has been named SUNY Distinguished Professor — the highest rank in the SUNY system.
Rudra recognized with third Test of Time award in last two years
8/20/26
Data and communication are critical pieces of many systems. For decades, computer science theorists worked to determine the best way to recover information when it gets corrupted in ways designed to make recovery difficult.
Engineering Management program ranked among top 10 nationwide
1/27/26
The engineering management program came in at No. 8 among more than 110 programs.
Amjad Aref named chair of civil, structural and environmental engineering
4/10/26
Amjad Aref will assume the role on July 1, 2026. He succeeds Alan Rabideau, who has served as the department’s chair since 2022.