New ASU research facility named Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health

PHOENIX — A new Arizona State University research facility was named in April in honor of two sustainability donors that have focused on solutions made to improve the planet.

The Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health, formally dedicated on April 19, recognizes the investment the two have made to the university in support of developing and using sustainable solutions for things such as water, energy, climate and urbanization, according to the university.

The building houses a collection of centers, including the College of Global Futures, the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science and the ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet.

It was built to bridge programs that will gain a better understanding of the planet’s history while creating global solutions for the future, according to ASU.

At the dedication, ASU’s President Michael Crow honored the pair — who’ve been involved with the university for nearly two decades — applauding their commitment that’s allowed student and faculty to do work with a deeper impact.

“For ASU, this new facility represents the launch of the new American research university at an advanced trajectory,” Crow said.

The sustainable design and the work the center will house helps place ASU in a better position than ever before, Rob Walton said.

“ASU has built the infrastructure to lead a revolution in sustainability and conservation that will benefit planetary health in ways we can’t even imagine,” Rob Walton said.

Co-founder Melani Walton said the foundation is driven by the focus of imagining the possibilities of a more conscious and healthy planet.

“We see a more connected and compassionate future; a more thoughtful and more united one. ultimately, we see a future that looks at the sustainability of people and planet together, through a sense of shared purpose,” Melani Walton said.

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