Multi-million-dollar gift adds to George Mason legacy at University

As the George Mason Centre for the Natural Environment marks a decade of impactful research, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, has received a further $10 million philanthropic gift from the George Mason Charitable Trust.

The generous gift ensures nature-based, solutions-focused environmental research will continue to thrive for generations to come and builds on the late Dr George Mason’s $5 million donation in 2016, which enabled the establishment of the centre to strengthen research in the natural environment and biological sciences.

Over the past decade, the Centre has supported research addressing pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, microplastics, environmental restoration and conservation. It has funded 34 seed projects and supported six masters students, 18 postdoctoral fellowships and 19 PhD students.

Centre director Professor Simon Thrush said Dr Mason’s philanthropy has allowed for vital research at a time of growing environmental urgency.

“The long-term generosity of the George Mason Charitable Trust has enabled researchers across the University to collaborate across disciplines, respond quickly to new challenges, and focus on the issues that matter most for the future.”

He said the generous philanthropic gift comes at a pivotal time.

“Our climate and environment are changing at an unprecedented pace, and there is no time to waste. It’s imperative that industry, government and science work together to help communities adapt, reduce the risk of catastrophic impacts, protect our natural world, and support the next generation of scientists, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers.

“We’ve made strong progress over the last decade, and this remarkable investment allows us to build on that momentum to help shape a better future over the next ten years and beyond.”

The $10 million gift forms part of a landmark $25 million bequest to four New Zealand universities from the George Mason Charitable Trust as it winds up its affairs. The University of Auckland’s share will be managed by the University of Auckland Foundation and will generate ongoing returns to support research projects, postgraduate scholarships and the dissemination of original environmental research in New Zealand and internationally.

Chair of the George Mason Charitable Trust Barry Upson said that Mason knew first-hand the value of being supported in education. He, himself, was sponsored by the firm Ivon Watkins Limited in New Plymouth, to undertake his PhD studies overseas, following the completion of his MSc from the University of Auckland.   

“George was a fervent member of the University’s field club, engaging in field trips to Mt Taranaki, which is how he met Dan and Ivon Watkins. He later went on to be a passionate supporter of science education and research throughout his lifetime.”  

Honouring a life's commitment to science and the environment

On 16 April, the University formally signed an agreement to receive the gift at a celebratory Remembering George Mason event. Staff and trustees of the George Mason Charitable Trust attended the ceremony, which included a special honouring of Mason’s lifelong contribution to science, conservation and education. For more than 25 years, Mason provided crucial philanthropic backing for many research projects in the natural and environmental sciences, supporting both established academics advancing ambitious projects and postgraduate students just beginning their research careers. The University has renamed the Biology Building 106, where Dr Mason studied botany in the 1950s, as the George Mason Biology Building.

A commissioned portrait of Mason by Taranaki artist Charlotte Giblin will be displayed in the building, connecting staff and students to the space's history and celebrating Mason’s legacy.

Professor Michael Kingsley, Acting Dean of Science, said the building’s new name recognises George Mason’s extraordinary impact on the University and scientific community and is a fitting way to honour his legacy.

“Naming the Biology Building after George Mason is a fitting tribute to a life devoted to knowledge, the natural world, and to future generations.

“George’s connection with the University of Auckland began as a student walking these same corridors and endured throughout his life, shaped by a deep and unwavering commitment to the people and purpose of this place. His story is a powerful reminder to our students that many paths are open to them, and that they can also go on to achieve great things.”