Everyone Can See the Stars
Larry and Dee Franks leave a legacy for KITP
If you attend a Chalk Talk at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP), you might find yourself sitting next to Larry and Dee Franks. The Franks joined Friends of KITP in 2003 as Founding Members. Now, they continue to lead the way with a bequest that reflects their deep commitment to KITP and ensures a legacy of scientific discovery.
KITP is world-renowned for advancing the frontiers of physics. Each year, KITP brings together over 1,000 scientists for extended periods of focused research and collaboration. Guided by an international scientific advisory board and supported by faculty, postdocs, and graduate fellows, KITP creates an environment where sustained dialogue leads to new ideas, surprising connections, and lasting impact across the field of theoretical physics.
“I’m a physicist, too, so I thought KITP would be a good investment. We don’t see this as charity. Dee and I wanted to invest in what would be most helpful to this community,” said Larry.
“We want to improve KITP for the generations that will come along,” added Dee. Following his undergraduate work, Larry was awarded a fellowship to graduate school to study physics, which proved to be a life-changing event. Through that, he received a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt. Following graduation, Larry received several post-doc positions but chose industry to better support his family.
The Franks moved to Goleta when Larry took a position as a junior physicist at a federal laboratory. He spent most of his career working in applied physics before moving into management. During those latter years, he developed a close relationship with UC Santa Barbara through hiring alumni and funding projects of mutual interest to the lab and campus. The Franks believe in education. Dee’s mother was a Wellesley alumna and schoolteacher in Tennessee, but she directed her daughter toward social graces over career success. Despite her mother’s vision of her life, Dee became deeply involved in the PTA. She started with her children’s elementary school, moved on to the city and county levels, and ultimately served for many years on the state board.
At age 48, Dee enrolled at Cal State Northridge, where she received her bachelor’s degree the same year her son graduated from UC Santa Barbara. Dee worked for many years as a substitute teacher in the Santa Barbara school system and later in preschools.
The Franks have been married for 65 years and still attend KITP events together. “There’s always something going on. You get to meet the scientists and postdocs. One of my favorite talks was by a Harvard astronomer. He said, simply, ‘Everyone can look up and see the stars.’ People understood him, and all of the talks are user-friendly like that,” said Larry.
That sentiment of universal understanding, of discoveries that can be both radical and accessible, is the essence of their support.
Global science impact requires inspired investment. The institute’s scientific impact cannot be sustained by traditional federal funding sources alone. KITP must diversify its funding sources and build an endowment with generous support from private foundations and individuals like the Franks. The Franks’ bequest, one of KITP’s first legacy gifts, is powerful because it is unrestricted, meaning that it will support the institute’s greatest needs in perpetuity.
"Legacy gifts like the Franks’ are a powerful expression of trust and belief in the value of KITP now and in the future,” said KITP Director Lars Bildsten. “Larry and Dee’s generosity has been instrumental in supporting our early career scientists and research programs, and their decision to include KITP in their estate plans ensures that impact will endure forever. Endowment funds provide the long-term stability needed to ensure the institute’s continued ability to foster global, collaborative science and launch the next generation of leaders in physics.
We’re deeply honored by their commitment and grateful for their lasting partnership in support of our mission.”
Published November 2025
I’m a physicist, too, so I thought KITP would be a good investment. We don’t see this as charity. Dee and I wanted to invest in what would be most helpful to this community.
Larry Franks, pictured with his wife, Dee
