September 01, 2026
David Payne’s support will also transform electrical engineering and computer science while accelerating Mizzou’s leadership in energy innovation.
By Janese Heavin | Show Me Mizzou
Photo by Abbie Lankitus
The University of Missouri is strengthening its position as a national leader in energy innovation with a historic $50 million gift and the start of construction on a new interdisciplinary research facility designed to tackle some of the nation’s most complex energy challenges.
David Payne, BS EE ’83, made the $50 million donation to Mizzou’s College of Engineering, the largest single investment in a school or college in university history. The gift will transform the college by supporting academic programs and students, advancing faculty research and improving facilities, including a significant renovation of Naka Hall, home to the electrical engineering and computer science department. In recognition of his generosity, the department will now be named the David L. Payne Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Payne joined university, state and community officials today to break ground on the Payne Energy Innovation Center, a 116,000-square-foot facility that will bring together expertise from across campus to develop new solutions for how energy is produced, stored, secured and delivered.
“The Payne Energy Innovation Center and the generosity of David Payne position Mizzou as America’s next hub for energy transformation and solutions,” said Todd Graves, chair of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. “This investment strengthens the university’s land-grant mission by preparing tomorrow’s workforce and creating lasting economic impact across the state for generations to come.”
Payne has built a four-decade career in the electrical industry. He is chair of PayneCrest Electric in St. Louis, an electrical contracting company he took the helm of in 1985 and expanded to serve commercial and industrial customers nationwide.
“David Payne is a visionary leader who shares our commitment to bring energy innovations that benefit our state and nation,” said University of Missouri President Mun Choi. “We are deeply grateful for his extraordinary support that will advance pioneering research in Mizzou Engineering and the Payne Energy Innovation Center and equip future energy leaders to make an impact.”
The $50 million gift also helped push Mizzou’s Power the Roar campaign to $1.1 billion, surpassing the halfway point toward its historic $2 billion goal. Launched publicly last fall, the campaign is fueling investments to educate future leaders, save and improve lives, build a resilient world, strengthen communities and develop champions.
Powering what’s next
Fueled in large part by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, global energy demand is projected to double in the next 25 years. Meeting that demand will require more than producing additional power. Aging infrastructure, cybersecurity threats, extreme weather and changing energy loads are creating new challenges for how energy is generated, stored, secured and delivered.
Mizzou is uniquely positioned to meet those challenges.
At the center, researchers will tackle energy challenges from production to performance, with an initial focus on high-impact areas such as advanced energy materials, artificial intelligence and grid security. The work will draw on Mizzou’s strengths in nuclear energy, materials science and cybersecurity.
The center builds on years of momentum behind Mizzou’s vision for energy innovation, including a $10 million gift from Mizzou alumnus Jim Fitterling, BS ME ’83. That support helped launch plans for an interdisciplinary energy center and laid the foundation for the project now taking shape.
“The future of energy is being built right here at Mizzou,” said Marisa Chrysochoou, dean of the College of Engineering. “This facility will unite world-class expertise to accelerate discoveries, prepare the next generation of engineers and create solutions with the potential to transform how we produce and use energy.”
That work will extend beyond the laboratory. Experts in public policy, agriculture, business and other fields will explore how new technologies can move from discovery to practical use and how innovation can benefit communities across Missouri.
“Mizzou has an opportunity to shape not only the next generation of energy technology, but how that technology changes lives,” said Cooper Drury, dean of the College of Arts and Science. “By bringing policy experts together with scientists and engineers under one roof, we can move discoveries from the lab into communities faster and ensure the benefits of innovation reach people across Missouri and beyond. That kind of collaboration is how we turn big ideas into lasting impact.”
By combining expertise across those disciplines, Mizzou is creating an energy research ecosystem that can approach challenges from every angle — from discovering new materials and strengthening the power grid to developing policies and preparing the workforce needed to put new technologies into practice.
The Payne Energy Innovation Center is a partnership between the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Science, and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), with expertise from the School of Law, the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business and the Missouri School of Journalism.
The center — which is expected to open in Fall 2028 — will also help Mizzou attract leading faculty and researchers in energy-related fields.
“The energy solutions of tomorrow will have a direct impact on how we grow food, manage natural resources and strengthen communities,” said Christopher Daubert, CAFNR dean. “This facility will harness Mizzou’s tremendous breadth of expertise to turn research into practical solutions that benefit Missouri and the world.”
This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to the Show Me Mizzou newsletter.