Huck History

For three decades, the Huck Institutes have advanced discovery, inspired innovation, and brought researchers together to address some of the world’s most complex challenges in the life sciences. This anniversary honors our history and the people shaping the future of science.

In 2011, the Huck Institutes joined the Materials Research Institute in opening the state-of-the art Millennium Science Complex. The 297,000-square-foot building was built to further an interdisciplinary approach to research, serving as a metaphorical and physical confluence of the two research units. Specially designed, vibration-proof facilities house sensitive equipment underground; laboratories, offices, and shared spaces occupy the upper floors.

In 2007, the Hucks made a further $20 million commitment to teaching, research and other academic activities in the Huck Institutes. "They saw a potential for greatness in the work of the faculty and students," said Penn State President Graham B. Spanier, "We are deeply grateful for their generosity in transforming that potential into reality."

In 2002, the Life Sciences Consortium was renamed as the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, in recognition of the Hucks' leadership and generosity in support of the life sciences at Penn State University.

The Huck Institutes were founded in 1996 as the Life Sciences Consortium to encourage greater coordination and interdisciplinary collaboration in the life sciences at Penn State.

From the outset, the consortium worked to promote interdisciplinary research, develop innovative graduate programs, enhance the quality and diversity of life sciences faculty, and improve shared technology resources.

The Huck Institutes constitute one of several interdisciplinary research units established and supported by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research. Interactions between units are actively explored. For instance, the Huck Institutes have links with the Materials Research Institute, the Social Science Research Institute, Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment, and the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences.