The beam going up (photos by Ashley Garrett, MBA 1987)

The Harvard community marked a major milestone on Wednesday as members gathered along Western Avenue in Allston to celebrate the “topping-off” of the new Science and Engineering Complex (SEC).

Led by Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust and Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria, a wide cross-section of faculty, alumni, students, and friends from across the University were joined by the Turner Construction team, Allston residents, and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and other local representatives to watch as the last steel beam was hoisted into place. The celebration included remarks by Faust, Nohria, and Walsh; demonstrations of new technologies being developed by SEAS students; and a panel discussion on the impact of the SEAS move and Harvard’s expanding science and technology research focus that included Shaun Donovan (AB 1987, MPA 1995, M.Arch. 1995), Harvard’s senior strategist for Allston; SEAS Dean Frank Doyle; SEC architect Stefan Behnisch; and was led by Tracy Palandjian (AB 1993, MBA 1997).

Tracy Palandjian (AB 1993, MBA 1997)

John A. Paulson (MBA 1980)

Tracy Palandjian (AB 1993, MBA 1997)

John A. Paulson (MBA 1980)

Slated for completion in 2020, the 500,000-square-foot SEC facility will serve more than 1,800 students, researchers, and faculty of Harvard’s fastest-growing school––the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)––and signal an important shift as SEAS joins HBS across the Charles River.

The development of the new complex was made possible in part by a $400 million SEAS endowment established in 2015 by John A. Paulson (MBA 1980), founder and president of the investment management firm Paulson & Co.

“John Paulson’s extraordinary gift will enable the growth and ensure the strength of engineering and applied sciences at Harvard for the benefit of generations to come,” said Harvard President Drew Faust, when she announced the gift.

SEAS Dean Frank Doyle

SEAS Dean Frank Doyle

“SEAS is the next frontier for Harvard, and its expanding campus in Allston promises to become the next major center of innovation,” said Paulson, who graduated as a Baker Scholar. Paulson said the gift “will help continue that legacy by making SEAS a 21st-century engineering leader. It provides a solid endowment for faculty development, research, scholarships, and financial aid.”

“John is the epitome of a visionary leader,” said Nohria. “He understands that this gift will be the cornerstone for a Harvard campus in Allston, where multiple disciplines can converge and combine their passion for knowledge, unleashing discovery in ways that truly benefit society and the world.”

The SEAS building

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