Sylvester James Gates, Jr. established the Sylvester James Gates, Sr. and Charlie Anglin Gates Endowed Summer Research Award in February 2017 in memory of his late father and mother to support undergraduate students in physics and mathematics.
Gates retired on June 30, 2017 and was named a College Park Professor. During his decades with the UMD Department of Physics, he was named a Distinguished University Professor, University System of Maryland Regents Professor, and John S. Toll Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland. He is the first African American to hold an endowed chair in physics at a major U.S. research university. Among his many accomplishments and accolades, Gates is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and received the National Medal of Science from President Barack Obama in 2013.
Gates credits his father for emphasizing the importance of education and sparking his interest in science at a young age. With your help, this endowment will provide physics and mathematics students with rich opportunities to advance their educational and professional careers through summer research, aiding in the student’s acceptance into graduate school.