The gift establishes an endowed professorship to strengthen RPI’s research and academic leadership in a growing area of engineering
November 9, 2026
Robert L. Cummings ’69 and Annette Bacola have generously donated $2.1 million to RPI to create the Robert L. Cummings ’69 and Annette Bacola Endowed Professorship in Biomolecular Engineering. The endowment will recognize, honor, and support an outstanding faculty member performing world-class research and educational activities within the field.
“We are deeply grateful for this support from Bob and Annette. We recognize that our faculty are absolutely integral to RPI’s overall success and a key aspect of what makes the Institute uniquely poised to lead within the field of biomolecular engineering development,” said Martin A. Schmidt ’81, president of RPI. “Professorship endowments like these inspire confidence and academic excellence for recipients and ensure impactful mentorship of the next generation of researchers.”
This commitment will continue to invigorate RPI’s important work in this area as well as the individuals that engage in that work.
“We’ve always believed that the best investments are in people — in giving talented individuals the support and freedom to do their best work,” said Bacola. “Bob’s own foundation as a Mechanical Engineering student at RPI is what prepared him for a career that took him from the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine force to McKinsey & Co., and ultimately, to four decades in private equity. Endowing this professorship allows us to invest in that same kind of talent at an institution that means so much to him personally.”
RPI continues to prioritize biomolecular engineering as an important way to address major challenges in human health, with an emphasis on the engineering of biomolecules (the design and application of proteins, DNA, and RNA for therapeutics). Shekhar Garde, dean of engineering at RPI, expressed his gratitude for the endowment and optimism for potential scientific breakthroughs in the future. “The field of biomolecular engineering is entering an exciting new chapter, with the convergence of state-of-the art experiments, computing, and artificial intelligence,” said Garde. “Thanks to the generosity of donors like Bob and Annette, we can continue to invest in and recognize our exceptional faculty in this field. Their support expands opportunities for groundbreaking research and hands-on learning, creating an environment where faculty and students work together to tackle some of society's most important challenges.”
Today, RPI is well-positioned to lead within this ever-evolving field, and sustained progress depends on establishing endowed chaired professorships to recognize world-class scholars, support innovative research and graduate mentorship, and strengthen the Institute’s long-term leadership in biomolecular engineering.
“We’ve watched RPI’s trajectory closely, and the momentum under President Schmidt’s leadership is exactly why we felt confident making this commitment now,” said Cummings. “Marty has articulated a clear, ambitious vision for where this institution is headed, and biomolecular engineering is a perfect example of RPI positioning itself at the forefront of a field that will define the next generation of medicine. We have great confidence in the direction of the university and wanted our gift to be a part of that momentum.”