The first new facility to be built on the Pew Engineering Quad in two decades will be named Martin Y. and Margaret Lee Tang Hall, Cornell officials announced at a dedication ceremony on Sept. 20.

The naming commemorates a significant gift from Martin Y. Tang ’70 and Margaret Lee Tang that will measurably enhance faculty excellence through the recruitment, support and retention of exceptional researchers, educators and scholars.

“I trust our gift will ensure that Cornell remains at the forefront of engineering education and scientific research,” Martin Tang said. “As a Cornell student myself many years ago, it was the university’s outstanding faculty, facilities and opportunities for hands-on learning that defined my own experience. Margaret and I are deeply gratified that Tang Hall will be home to leading faculty who will continue to advance Cornell Engineering’s teaching excellence and profound impact-driven experiences for generations of students to come.”

Credit: Ryan Young/Cornell University

“Martin and Margaret Tang’s wonderful generosity to Cornell Engineering builds on a lifetime of support for Cornell, and a deep understanding of the university and its needs is reflected in their philanthropy,” said Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff. “This gift will have a tremendous impact on the college’s ability to recruit and retain the most exceptional talent now and in the future, and to provide our world-class faculty with the environment and resources to do their best work.”

Tang Hall provides new teaching laboratories, design and experiential learning spaces, and meeting rooms for multiple engineering departments. The building will allow one of Cornell Engineering’s youngest and fastest-growing schools, the Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, to have a presence on the Engineering Quad for the first time. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering will also gain much-needed research space.

“Tang Hall is custom-built to support the flexible, collaborative work that we now know is required for impactful research, education and technology innovation across Cornell Engineering disciplines,” said Lynden Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering. “Martin and Margaret’s vision and generosity are an inspiration to all of us in the college.”

Credit: Jason Koski/Cornell University

The new building, which encompasses and expands on what was formerly known as Thurston Hall, was intentionally designed to foster community and experiential learning opportunities. The first floor of Tang Hall includes a lobby that serves as a central gathering space, with the rest of the floor dedicated to student design studios and learning labs. Each floor now features open spaces to enable interaction and collaboration.

“With this new building, Cornell’s central campus will be bookended by the Tang family name – with the Tang Welcome Center overlooking Beebe Lake, and Tang Hall on the Pew Engineering Quad,” said Kotlikoff. “It’s a fitting reflection of the breadth of their impact at Cornell, through their thoughtful and enduring generosity and leadership.”

In addition to supporting the new facility, the bulk of the Tangs’ generous gift will provide foundational support for faculty recruitment, retention and development.

Martin Tang received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Cornell, and he went on to earn a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972. After a successful career with executive search consultants Spencer Stuart & Associates (now Spencer Stuart), he retired as chairman of the firm’s Asia arm. He is now director of MTDD, Ltd., and has been an active member of numerous boards and organizations.

Credit: Jason Koski/Cornell University

Margaret Lee Tang graduated from University College London with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and statistics, and she also has an MBA from Bradford University. She is a qualified accountant who worked with two international accounting firms before moving to executive recruitment.

The Tangs reside in Hong Kong, where Martin Tang has served for decades as one of the university’s most prolific ambassadors. He has lent his time, expertise and passion for Cornell to many leadership roles, and nurtured new generations of Cornellians as upcoming alumni leaders and donors. The longest-serving international trustee, Tang is now a Trustee Emeritus and a Presidential Councillor. In 2012, he was recognized with the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award, Cornell’s highest honor for alumni volunteer leaders. 

Martin Tang has been a longtime supporter of university priorities, especially scholarships and the Cornell Botanic Gardens. He has made numerous gifts in honor of family members and other Cornellians, and is a dedicated Annual Fund donor in many areas. In 2016, he and his family made a gift to name the Martin Y. Tang Welcome Center.

“Martin’s leadership and his dedication to serving his community provide a model for our Cornell Engineering graduates,” Archer said, “and I am quite thrilled that the Tang name now has a permanent place of honor on our Engineering Quad.”