Arthur G. Hansen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arthur G. Hansen (born February 28, 1925) is a philanthropist and former chancellor of several American universities.

[edit] Biography

Hansen earned his bachelor's degree 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 degrees.

At Georgia Tech, 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.^[1] 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.^[2]

He resides in Zionsville, Indiana.

[edit] 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 proscenium theater named after his wife, Nancy Tucker Hansen, who died the following year.^[3] The theater, part of Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts, seats 310 people and was completed in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Preceded by: Edwin D. Harrison	President of the Georgia Institute of Technology 1969-1971	Succeeded by: Joseph M. Pettit
Preceded by: Frederick L. Hovde	President of Purdue University 1971-1982	Succeeded by: John W. Hicks