The UT Tower will darken at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 to honor the life of Peter T. Flawn, who was twice the president of the university and one of its most distinguished leaders.

Earlier in the evening, the Tower will shine with burnt orange lights to recognize the Texas Speech team for winning their second consecutive national championship.

President Flawn, a renowned geologist, spearheaded UT Austin’s transformation into a top public research university beginning in the 1980s. He died earlier this month at age 91.

“Peter was a visionary leader at UT, a beloved friend and a wise counselor to me and many university presidents,” said Gregory L. Fenves, president of UT Austin. “Whenever the university sought his help — from his earliest days doing geology research in West Texas through his time as president emeritus — Peter always answered the call. His contributions to our great university were immense and we will miss him deeply.”

While many people know Flawn as a university president, he also enjoyed a distinguished career as a geologist and research professor. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1974. He served as president of the Geological Society of America in 1978 and president of the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) in 1988. In 1993, AGI awarded him their most prestigious honor, the Ian Campbell Medal.

Read more about former President Peter T. Flawn.