The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or SETI, Institute, a Mountain View nonprofit at the forefront of exploring space for signs of life, revealed on Wednesday that it had received a $200 million grant from Antonio's estate, marking a substantial boost for their mission.
"Guided by our core mission and Franklin Antonio's vision, we now have the opportunity to elevate and expedite our research and make new discoveries to benefit all humanity for generations to come," said Bill Diamond, the president and CEO of the SETI Institute, in a news release.
The SETI Institute, dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of extraterrestrial existence for the past 40 years, plans to channel these funds into various avenues. The allocation includes the establishment of postdoctoral fellowships, grants and educational initiatives within the scientific community. Additionally, the money will fuel the expansion of research capabilities and the development of cutting-edge scientific instruments.
Antonio, who passed away in May 2022 at 69, was renowned for his philanthropic endeavors. Among his notable contributions was a $30 million seed fund for a $180 million engineering center at UC San Diego, his alma mater, where he earned a bachelor's degree in applied physics and information science in 1974.
"In his memory, the SETI Institute will continue its pursuit of one of the biggest and most profound questions in all of science, a question as old as humanity itself — are we alone in the universe?" Diamond said.
In addition to the SETI Institute, Antonio's estate has also contributed significantly to other educational and scientific causes. In October, $200 million was granted to a program promoting science education for high school seniors. Last year, $20 million was donated to schools in Antonio's hometown of Clovis (Fresno County).
The SETI Institute, boasting an array of radio telescopes in Northern California, has historically relied on contributions from notable figures such as actress Jodie Foster, star of the science fiction film "Contact," and Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen. Antonio's endowment ensures the Institute's core programs are permanently endowed, fostering new global partnerships and enabling the pursuit of groundbreaking research.
"This gift will impact all research domains of the SETI Institute," said Nathalie Cabrol, director of SETI's Carl Sagan Center for Research. "It will provide our teams the freedom to pursue their own science priorities, and to examine the technological, philosophical and societal impact of their research on our daily lives here on Earth."
Antonio's involvement went beyond financial support, said Andrew Siemion, the Bernard M. Oliver chair of research at the SETI Institute and director of SETI Research at the University of Oxford. The tech mogul also played a vital role in the technical advancement of the Allen Telescope Array, a radio telescope instrument used by the Institute.
"His extraordinary knowledge of communications technology was invaluable in upgrading the ATA to the world-class radio telescope instrument it is today," said Siemion.
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