With gratitude for his remarkable life and contributions, the BYU College of Computing, Math, and Science mourns the passing of Ira A. Fulton on August 21, 2026. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. His remarkable legacy will continue to influence students and scholars at BYU for generations.
“We are tremendously grateful for the generosity of Ira A. Fulton,” said Grant Jensen, dean of the college. “His kindness has changed the lives of thousands of students in our college, and we are thankful for his investment in their futures.”
A Supercomputer Named Mary Lou
Ira Fulton’s support for BYU’s computing programs opened possibilities for students across the university. Beginning in 1999, he and Mary Lou helped fund a series of supercomputers named Mary Lou, contributing more than $10 million over several years to purchase and upgrade the machines. Fulton wanted BYU students to have that opportunity to work on these powerful machines at a time when undergraduate access to supercomputing was rare.
The supercomputer supported research in fields ranging from physics and biology to engineering and animation. It was used to create the 2003 student animated short Lemmings, which won a Student Emmy, a Student Academy Award and helped launch several graduates into professional animation careers. This film, in many ways, was the beginning of the BYU Center for Animation, which was formalized in 2008.
Students continued making animated films, winning awards, and the Fultons continued supporting the animation program over the years by upgrading computing resources. The Mary Lou supercomputer continues today with tremendous use by students and faculty research in artificial intelligence and many other impactful fields.
Ira A. Fulton Chair in the BYU College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences
Fulton created the Ira A. Fulton Chair in the BYU College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences in 2020, ultimately establishing a $5 million endowment for direct student aid, meaning every dollar of earnings would be spent on students. To date, 178 students have been supported by the endowment through scholarships and wages to participate in mentored research.
Fulton recently wrote us for an upcoming piece in our Fall 2026 Frontiers magazine: “I want to make a difference. That’s why I’m so involved. I know the value of education. When I can participate with these great students and their great professors and help them achieve their goals, that personally excites me.”
You’ll be able to read more about this endowment and the students it is supporting when our magazine arrives in mailboxes in a few weeks.
Ira A. Fulton Chair in the Center for Animation
In 2021, Fulton also established the Ira A. Fulton Chair in Animation with a $5 million endowment. These funds support students in the Center for Animation which includes students from our college and the College of Fine Arts & Communication. The Fultons’ support was instrumental in helping to establish BYU Animation as one of the nation’s leading animation programs, which has now earned 22 Student Emmys and many other international recognitions.
"BYU is all about the wonderful students that attend here. They know how to dream, and I want to support them so they can reach their dreams,” Fulton also said. “I became involved with the Y because of the caliber of the faculty and administrators. I stay involved because of the students. They are the finest I’ve ever met. Seeing the goodness of the students—there’s nothing better.”
We are forever grateful to Ira Fulton for his kindness, generosity, and personal investment in the students in our college and at BYU.