About Us

A purple-stained cell, an orange and black lava planet, and a rough diamond represent our three scientific divisions. Courtesy of Carnegie Science.

Where the next generation of big ideas are born.

Carnegie Science research breakthroughs have fundamentally changed how we understand biology, our planet, and the universe.

Empowering Investigators

We are one of few organizations worldwide where dedicated scientists can choose to explore new research directions that could redefine our collective future.

Forefront Science

From genomes to ecosystems and from planets to the cosmos, Carnegie Science is an incubator for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research that is expanding our knowledge of all that is around us. On a scale encompassing the entire natural world, and at the nexus of a broad array of disciplines, our investigators are tackling the biggest questions of our time.

What are the origins of our universe? How did life emerge on our planet and can it be discovered elsewhere? How do we combat the devastation of climate change and promote sustainability?

Andrew Carnegie founded this institution in 1902 as a home for world-transforming scientific discoveries. Today, Carnegie Science’s mission—to advance investigation, research, and discovery, and apply that knowledge to the improvement of humankind—is more urgent than ever. An independent research organization, we provide our scientists with the flexibility to follow their curiosity, seize opportunities as they arise, and define new fields of investigation.

With boundless creativity and broad expertise, our network includes four Nobel Prize winners, six National Medals of Science recipients, and 10 living members of the National Academy of Sciences. Every day, our researchers continue to ask and answer compelling questions where we have the skill, the leadership to mobilize the international research community, and the vision to transform our understanding.

We are now entering a time of scientific discovery unparalleled in our history. This new age brings a convergence of trends in scientific practice and technology that allows interdisciplinary research to thrive. New instrumentation and technologies, such as next-generation massive telescopes and gene-editing tools like CRISPR, are opening entirely new fields of research. And incredible advances in computation are revealing deeper and ever-more complex opportunities for insight. Our growing partnership with Caltech, including significant collaborations on the technology driving 21st-century science, is accelerating our ability to capitalize on this pivotal moment.
The sun shines on the horizon of Earth, as viewed from space.

What We Believe

Carnegie Science is an independent research institution that empowers the world’s leading scientists to explore big questions and expand bold ideas that transform our understanding of life, planets, and the universe around us.

Our mission is to advance investigation, research, and discovery, and apply that knowledge for the improvement of humankind.

An Outsized Impact

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    72 Principal Investigators

    The curiosity, creativity, and ingenuity of our Staff Scientists, Staff Associates & Research Scientists form the cornerstone of Carnegie's tremendous impact on the scientific endeavor.

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    Postdocs

    A rigorous postdoctoral program provides a launchpad for the next generation of scientific leaders. Their successes in academia, industry, and government burnish our reputation.

Carnegie at a Glance

A portrait photo of John Mulchaey
Graham Pearson using on of the field geologist's main tools, a simple hand lens, to look at the mineralogy of a rock during fieldwork at the Slave Craton, Canada.
Green and pink thin birdsnest coral
A composite image showing a lava planet, a stellar nebula, and a coral reef, representing the breadth of Carnegie Science research

Our Blueprint For Discovery

Carnegie Science is an incubator for independent, interdisciplinary investigators who are uniquely capable of making big breakthroughs in solving some of humanity’s greatest scientific mysteries, including the origins of life on Earth.

Explore Our Strategic Scientific Framework
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on Tuesday morning, Sept. 2, 2014. Credit: NASA/Reid Wiseman

Our Research Areas

From genomes to ecosystems and from planets to the cosmos, Carnegie Science is an incubator for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research that is expanding our knowledge of all that is around us.

Explore Our Research Areas
Coral Lava Planet and Quartz

Our Divisions

We pursue research breakthroughs across scales from genomes to ecosystems and planets to the cosmos. We collaborate between three interdisciplinary divisions—Biosphere Sciences & Engineering, the Earth & Planets Laboratory, and the Observatories—to transform understanding of life, planets, and the broader universe.

Explore Our Divisions