Mining chief digs deep to aid research
Canada-based philanthropist Robert M Buchan, who studied at the university more than 40 years ago, is handing over 1.3m to fund a post in sustainable energy engineering, with a view to keeping Scotland at the forefront of the field.
The donation is said to be one of the biggest the institution has received and the largest from an individual.
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Hide AdMr Buchan, from Rosyth, obtained a degree in mining from Heriot-Watt in 1969 and in 1993 founded Kinross Gold, a small gold mining company which went on to be the third-largest primary gold producer in North America. He said: "I believe in giving forward rather than giving back. It reflects a desire to focus on the future."
University principal Professor Steve Chapman said: "This donation's influence will be felt in Scotland and in the wider world of energy sustainability."