ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – The largest contribution in Cornell Engineering’s history will fund a major expansion.

According to university officials, class of 1962 alum David Duffield has committed $100 million to create a new state-of-the-art lab space for strategic research. The gift will allow the namesake, Duffield Hall, to encompass the adjoined Phillips Hall and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, a move endorsed by the Phillips Family.

“Dave Duffield is an extraordinary philanthropist and a truly visionary Cornellian,” stated Interim President Michael Kotlikoff. “His generosity has already immeasurably enhanced the quality of the university’s research, education, and campus life, and he continues to find and pursue new avenues for advancing Cornell’s mission.”

The project will transform over 130,000 square feet of new and renovated space to include a quantum-ready research wing and additional lab space to support work in artificial intelligence, robotics, and semiconductors. Upon completion, Duffield Hall will be 300,000 square feet.

“This historic gift provides a tremendous step up in our ability to carry out key aspects of the college’s mission, including providing experiential learning opportunities for students and research spaces designed to support the 21st-century work being pursued by our faculty,” stated Lynden Archer, Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering.

Construction is scheduled to begin this year and wrap up in 2027.