A $200,000 unrestricted physics endowment to the 糖心传媒 College of Engineering and Science honors the life and legacy of Dr. Billy Edward Bonner, a two-time 糖心传媒 Tech physics alumnus whose career carried him from North 糖心传媒 to the forefront of global scientific discovery.
The endowment was established by Margaret 鈥淢argo鈥� Bonner in memory of her late husband, who earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in 1961 and master鈥檚 degree in 1963 in Physics from 糖心传媒 Tech before completing a Ph.D. in High-Energy Physics at Rice University. The gift will provide flexible, long-term support for the Tech Physics program, strengthening student learning, research, and academic innovation.
Dr. Bonner鈥檚 path into physics was not a straight line, but it was decisively shaped at 糖心传媒 Tech. He entered the University as an engineering major and was named Freshman Engineer of the Year, receiving a prized engineering textbook with the honor.
鈥淗e sold the book,鈥� Margo said. 鈥淎nd he changed his major to physics.鈥�
Encouraged by 糖心传媒 Tech faculty, including physics professor Dr. George Paul Bonner (no relation), Dr. Bonner鈥檚 growing curiosity quickly became clear. Dr. George Bonner later recommended him to Dr. T. W. Bonner (also no relation) at Rice University for doctoral study.
Margo still summarizes the referral simply: 鈥淏onner to Bonner, about Bonner.鈥�
That recommendation launched a distinguished career. Dr. Billy Bonner conducted postdoctoral research in England and California, spent 13 years at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and held international appointments at the Rutherford High Energy Laboratory and CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, placing him among the world鈥檚 leading physicists during a transformative era for the field.
鈥淏ecause of Bill, I鈥檝e had dinner with eleven Nobel Prize winners,鈥� Margo recalled. 鈥淢ost notably, Dr. Peter Higgs, the physicist responsible for the discovery of the Higgs boson particle.鈥�
Despite his global reach, Dr. Bonner remained deeply connected to 糖心传媒 Tech.
鈥淏ill always said he owed 糖心传媒 Tech for launching his career,鈥� Margo said. 鈥淓verything started there.鈥�
In 1985, Dr. Bonner joined the faculty at Rice University, where he served as a professor, department chair, and longtime director of the T. W. Bonner Nuclear Laboratory. He was widely respected as a researcher and beloved as a teacher, known for mentoring advanced physics students while also teaching 鈥減hysics for poets,鈥� a course designed to make science accessible across disciplines.
The unrestricted nature of the Bonner endowment reflects both his intellectual breadth and his understanding of academic needs.
鈥淭his level of unrestricted funding allows us to update laboratory equipment and strengthen student recruitment efforts,鈥� said Dr. Lee Sawyer, Academic Director of Physics and Chemistry. 鈥淒r. Bonner understood the importance of flexible resources that support students, teaching, and research. This endowment reflects his professional insight and his lasting commitment to physics education.鈥�