About the Institute

We have reached a critical moment in human history. The systems that enabled unprecedented advances in human achievement and wellbeing are also at the center of some of our most daunting challenges. We have an opportunity to find a balance between human endeavor and ecological sustainability. Seizing this opportunity requires us to find solutions that are multidimensional, collaborative, and responsive to larger societal needs and goals. 

The Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society, launched with a generous gift from Irving Oil, the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation, and Arthur L., Sandra, and Sarah ('10, Tuck '14) Irving, was created to leverage Dartmouth's strengths in interdisciplinary teaching and learning, engineering, business, and sustainability by providing solutions to critical energy problems faced by communities and regions across the globe. 

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Arthur Irving grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and attended Acadia University before joining Irving Oil in 1951. He worked with his father, K.C. Irving, becoming President of Irving Oil in 1972. At the time of his passing in May 2024, Mr. Irving was the company's Chairman Emeritus. Throughout his career and his life, he demonstrated an enthusiasm and support for business, the environment, healthcare, research, community, and education.

A true friend and supporter of Dartmouth College, Arthur Irving along with his wife Sandra and daughter Sarah, gave the generous gift that enabled the establishment of the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society. In addition to their ongoing care for the Institute and its mission in the world, Mr. Irving and his family funded scholarships at Dartmouth for Canadian students, developed an endowed chair for economics, and helped fund undergraduate students in business studies in partnership with the Tuck School of Business. Above all, students were at the core of Arthur Irving's commitment to Dartmouth and to the Irving Institute. As the parent of Sarah '10, TU'14, he spoke frequently about the impact that Dartmouth had in the life of his family. He was also deeply proud of the Irving Institute and its mission to advance a sustainable energy future in service of society.

Arthur Irving's commitment to education and community extended well beyond Dartmouth. From 1996 to 2010, he served as Chancellor of Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. In 2002, he, together with his brothers, James and Jack, established the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens on the Acadia campus, in honor of their parents. In 2014, he created the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation Scholarships in Environmental Science. 

Arthur and Sandra Irving helped students achieve their dreams in supporting student scholarships at the University of New Brunswick, St. Thomas University, St. Mary's University, Université de Moncton, Dalhousie University, University of Toronto, University of Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton University, and Dartmouth College. Arthur Irving has furthermore supported young people in their pursuits in business in the important work of Junior Achievement in New Brunswick. 

He was also a loyal supporter of many community initiatives in healthcare, and other important causes that make a difference in individual and community lives – having established a Chair in Neurology at The Lahey Hospital and Chairs in Cardiology and Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In 2002, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and in 2012, he received the Order of New Brunswick for his lifelong work as a builder of the province's economy and for his devotion to preserving our natural environment. In 1997, Arthur Irving was inducted into the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame, and in 2008, he was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. He received a Doctor of Civil Laws, from Acadia University in 2003; and was granted the title of Chancellor Emeritus in 2010. In 2009, he received an honorary degree from the University of New Brunswick and in 2010, he received an honorary degree from Dartmouth.

In 2013, Arthur Irving received the Red Cross Humanitarian Award for outstanding leadership and in 2019, the Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club of Saint John, for exemplifying the Rotary motto of "service above self."

About the Irving Foundation

The Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation is a registered charity in Canada that is guided by the values of Arthur and Sandra Irving, and their strong advocacy for the value of education in society. At universities and colleges in the United States and Canada, the foundation supports various initiatives with a strong focus on student advancement and scholarship, including several prestigious scholarship programs, as well as research and academic programming.