July 16, 2002 — Philanthropist Ann Lurie of Chicago has pledged $25 million to the University of Michigan College of Engineering to support programs in biomedical engineering and microsystems.

Stephen Director, Dean of the College of Engineering, said the gift will specifically go toward a building for the department of biomedical engineering and toward expanding the solid state electronics lab that serves the college’s Center for Wireless Integrated Microsystems as well as nanotechnology activities within the college.

The gift is the largest ever received by the university and brings Lurie’s combined gifts to the University to $45 million. Lurie is the wife of the late Robert Lurie, a businessman and Michigan engineering alumnus.