University of Texas gets $1 million gift

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The University of Texas at Austin will create a chair dedicated to developing peaceful ways to ensure technology and science do not endanger global security.

The chair at the university's Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law will be funded by a $1 million gift from Jon and Rebecca Brumley.

University officials said the Jon Brumley Chair in Global Affairs will explore a fundamental dilemma: Technology produces enormous benefits, but it also creates new dangers. For example, nuclear technology can generate energy or detonate bombs and gene-splitting can produce life-saving drugs or lethal biological weapons.

The gift will also support activities examining future challenges created by advances in fields ranging from genetics to nanotechnology.

Jon Brumley earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the university in 1961. He is now chairman of the Encore Acquisition Co. Rebecca Brumley earned a master's degree in education at the school and is currently chairwoman of the Red Oak Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas.