Dr. Fred Perner ’67 has made a commitment through his estate to MSOE, an investment rooted in gratitude, responsibility, and a belief in the power of education to shape the future. His decision to support the university’s Next Bold Step campaign reflects both his gratitude for the foundational engineering skills MSOE gave him and a desire to pave the way for the next generation.
Fred’s planned gift will establish the Fred Perner Endowed Distinguished Faculty Chair in MSOE’s Diercks School of Advanced Computing, strengthening the university’s ability to attract and retain exceptional faculty in artificial intelligence. Through this investment, students will learn from leading experts in AI. For Fred, this is not just about academic excellence; it’s about access. By investing in faculty who can teach and mentor at the highest level, he is creating opportunities for students to develop the skills needed to responsibly shape emerging technologies. “I believe that upcoming generations of engineers, equipped with fresh ideas and perspectives, will benefit greatly from the unique opportunities MSOE offers,” Fred shared. “As artificial intelligence emerges as a vital and rapidly evolving field, it will require significant innovation to become a transformative technology for humanity.”
After graduating from MSOE in 1967 with an electrical engineering degree, Fred joined IBM, where he pioneered semiconductor modeling. In 1980, he joined Hewlett-Packard (HP) Labs, specializing in memory design and circuit technology. During his distinguished career, Fred earned 186 U.S. patents, building a legacy as an engineer known for solving complex problems using the strong fundamentals he learned at MSOE.
His research has deepened his understanding of how important it is to equip future engineers with the ability to manage and interpret vast amounts of information, reinforcing his belief that education must evolve to meet this moment.
“Central to my research has been the storage and processing of large volumes of information, a challenge mirrored in the evolving field of AI,” he said.
At its core, Fred’s philanthropy is forward-looking. Through his gift, he envisions MSOE as a place where future leaders are not only trained in cutting-edge technologies but also guided by a sense of purpose—to create systems that are accessible, ethical and beneficial to society. By investing in people, ideas and education Fred is helping ensure that the next generation of MSOE engineers shape the future of AI with both innovation and responsibility.
Planned gifts like Fred’s transform gratitude into lasting excellence—benefiting MSOE for generations to come.
