Arthur G. Hansen
Encyclopedia
Arthur Gene "Art" Hansen (February 28, 1925 - July 5, 2010) was a philanthropist
and former chancellor
of several American
universities
.
in electrical engineering
from Purdue University
in 1946 and his master's degree
in mathematics
in 1948, also from Purdue. During this time, he also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve as a Second Lieutenant and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta
fraternity. Hansen received his doctorate
in mathematics from Case Institute of Technology
in 1958. Hansen also holds several honorary degree
s.
, Hansen served as dean of engineering and, from 1969 to 1971, president of the Institute. He accepted the position of president at Purdue University
from 1971 to 1982, the first Purdue alumnus to do so. In 1982, Hansen left Purdue to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System
. Hansen left this post to become the director of research of the Hudson Institute
and an educational consultant
until his retirement.
After his retirement, Hansen made his home in Zionsville, Indiana, and then in Fort Myers, Florida, where he died on July 5, 2010.
theater named after his wife, Nancy Tucker Hansen, who died the following year. The theater, part of Yue-Kong Pao
Hall of Visual and Performing Arts, seats about 300 people and opened its doors in 2006.
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and former chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of several American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
.
Education
Hansen earned his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in 1946 and his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in 1948, also from Purdue. During this time, he also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve as a Second Lieutenant and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
fraternity. Hansen received his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in mathematics from Case Institute of Technology
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
in 1958. Hansen also holds several honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s.
Career
At Georgia TechGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, Hansen served as dean of engineering and, from 1969 to 1971, president of the Institute. He accepted the position of president at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
from 1971 to 1982, the first Purdue alumnus to do so. In 1982, Hansen left Purdue to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System
Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the United States. Through a statewide network of eleven universities, eight state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the Texas A&M System educates over 100,000 students, conducts more than $600...
. Hansen left this post to become the director of research of the Hudson Institute
Hudson Institute
The Hudson Institute is an American think tank founded in 1961, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, by futurist, military strategist, and systems theorist Herman Kahn and his colleagues at the RAND Corporation...
and an educational consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
until his retirement.
After his retirement, Hansen made his home in Zionsville, Indiana, and then in Fort Myers, Florida, where he died on July 5, 2010.
Legacy
The Arthur G. Hansen Life Sciences Research Building on the Purdue University campus was named in honor of Hansen. On September 24, 2002, Hansen donated US$1.8 million to Purdue for the construction of a prosceniumProscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
theater named after his wife, Nancy Tucker Hansen, who died the following year. The theater, part of Yue-Kong Pao
Yue-Kong Pao
Sir Yue-Kong Pao CBE, JP , often referred to as "Sir Y.K. Pao" or just "Y.K.", was the founder of Hong Kong's World-Wide Shipping Group which in the 20 years from purchasing its first second-hand ship in 1955 became by far the largest shipping company in the world with over...
Hall of Visual and Performing Arts, seats about 300 people and opened its doors in 2006.