What starts here powers the planet. The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystem Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin is recognized as a global leader in energy research and education. A world-changing $25 million investment from alumni Jeff and Mindy Hildebrand has positioned the department for a truly incredible 21st century.

“The Hildebrands’ gift has added breadth to our department,” says Associate Professor Hilary Olson. “One of the things it has allowed us to do is bring faculty in from different universities to be here for a semester — to interact with our students, to give workshops, to give guest lectures, to work on research ideas with our faculty. The energy industry is really exciting right now, and further gifts will allow us to continue to broaden our department and the exposure of our students to different opportunities within the energy industry.”

With their generous gift, the Hildebrands are supporting research that will fuel the future, spur economic prosperity and drive innovation for Texas and beyond.

This video is part of World-Changing Gifts, a series highlighting the impact of transformational investments made during UT’s What Starts Here fundraising campaign.