Carnegie is where the next generation of big ideas are born. Our research breakthroughs have fundamentally changed how we understand biology, our planet, and the universe. We are one of few organizations worldwide where dedicated scientists can choose to explore new research directions that could redefine our collective future.

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 institution, we provide our scientists with the flexibility to follow their discoveries, seize opportunities, and define new fields of investigation. Our researchers continue to ask and answer compelling questions where we have the expertise, the leadership to mobilize the international research community, and the vision to transform our understanding.

An inspiring philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie founded our Institution in 1902 as part of his dedication to giving away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime. To further this goal, he established the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) in 1911 to help disperse the remainder of his assets and to manage his legacy after his death. Today, CCNY’s work focuses on international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy—issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance. He also strongly believed in unfettered scientific exploration for the betterment of humankind—in this way the longstanding partnership between our two organizations represents a shared commitment to improving the world around us.

Carnegie Corporation’s Chief of Staff, Jeanne D’Onofrio, said, “Our mission is to advance your mission,” which is evident in the projects and people they have supported over the years. For example, Carnegie Corporation has funded close to a dozen postdoctoral fellowships at Carnegie Science. Andrew Carnegie had a strong passion to advance education for all and so, CCNY’s gifts to our Institution’s fellowships directly support his legacy. And, in turn, an important part of our mission is to promote education in the sciences and to help early career investigators achieve success. 

Our Carnegie connection has deep roots. During his lifetime, Andrew Carnegie was a great humanitarian—giving generously of his own personal funds when natural or human disasters occurred. After a devastating earthquake in Chile in 1922 Andrew Carnegie gave $5,000—which would be close to $90,000 today—in humanitarian aid. Around the same time, CCNY also funded research at Carnegie Science that surveyed the origins and effects of the same earthquake—a multi-pronged approach to the disaster response.   

In 2001 to mark the centennial of Andrew Carnegie’s commitment to philanthropy, former CCNY President, Vartan Gregorian, brought all the different Carnegie entities together in celebration and remembrance of our founder’s legacy. Though CCNY had been a longtime supporter of Carnegie Science and other Carnegie institutions, until this point, the various Carnegie-founded organizations were not directly connected with each other. The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy was born out of this celebration and it continues to bring together Carnegie-established institutions to celebrate his legacy of philanthropy and recognize those who continue in his footsteps. 

We are proud of our joint history and look forward to continuing to advance Andrew Carnegie’s aspirations for making the world a better place.

Michael Wilson has been an avid supporter of the arts and sciences for much of his life. A successful movie producer and screenwriter, he feels a sense of responsibility to give back to organizations that are having an impact on the lives of people in communities across the world. “I find it very satisfying to be able to help these institutions to achieve their goals and it is an honor to be part of their work,” said Mr. Wilson during a recent conversation.

Before starting his career as a movie producer, Wilson received an engineering degree from Harvey Mudd College and a juris doctor from Stanford Law School, where he then went on to work for the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. It was there that he met Carnegie Science’s board member John Crawford who introduced him to the Institution’s work. 

“I always wanted to explore astronomy,” said Wilson, “For the past 100 years, Carnegie has been at the forefront of astronomical discovery—without Hubble and the research he did while at Carnegie, without Vera Rubin and her exploration into dark matter we would be living in a very different world.” Over his many years of involvement with Carnegie Science, he has become intimately aware of the many facets of our scientists' research having served on the Board of Trustees since 2010. 

In 2019, he generously endowed three postdoctoral positions in honor of his three granddaughters. “I want my granddaughters to have role models that they can emulate and to have people who inspire them. I thought I would lead the way by starting a scholarship for women in astronomy. My granddaughters may be a little young now, but I hope, eventually, they will be inspired by what these women do,” said Wilson. 

Wilson went on to say of Carnegie’s work, “Science is structured of small discoveries that are built upon one another and that is what Carnegie does so well. Carnegie has long been known as a launching pad for budding scientists because we give them the opportunity to work freely on the things they want to pursue—and that gives them the next leg up on their careers.” 

We are very grateful for Wilson’s dedication to Carnegie Science through the giving of his time, expertise, and philanthropy.

Aquatic ecologist Stephanie Hampton joined Carnegie as Deputy Director of Carnegie’s newly launched Division of Biosphere Sciences and Engineering. She arrived from the National Science Foundation, where she was the director of the Division of Environmental Biology. She was also a professor and the former director of an interdisciplinary environmental research center at Washington State University.

At Washington State, Hampton was part of a leadership team that oversaw the design, construction, and governance of a new research building to house the university’s Center for Environmental Research, Education, and Outreach, of which she was the director at the time. This background will be invaluable as Carnegie prepares to relocate its life and environmental science efforts to Pasadena where experts from a variety of fields will tear down disciplinary silos and tackle environmental, health, and energy system challenges at scales ranging from the molecular to the global.  

Hampton’s own research focuses on the dynamic factors that shape aquatic ecosystems, with a focus on Lake Baikal in Siberia and the lakes of the Pacific Northwest. Her work has informed environmental conservation efforts and policymaking. 

Prior to Washington State, Hampton served in several leadership roles at U.C. Santa Barbara, including deputy director of the National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis, managing director of Science for Nature and People, and Interim Director of Community Engagement and Education for DataONE. She received her Ph.D. in ecology and evolution from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree in biology from University of Nevada Las Vegas, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Kansas Lawrence.

In an effort to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion work throughout the organization and our surrounding communities, Carnegie has awarded 10 projects with inaugural DEI mini-grants. The mini-grant program provides up to $5,000 to support DEI-related projects, ideas, or collaborations. 

“The mini-grant program launched last fall and was designed to enable Carnegie faculty, postdocs, and staff to obtain funding for small-scale projects that help advance our local and institutional DEI goals,” said Associate Science Deputy Anat Shahar, who with Science Deputy and Observatories Director John Mulchaey oversees Carnegie’s DEI efforts.

Many of the grants focus on improving access to STEM programs and activities. Both Adrien Burlacot from the Department of Plant Biology and the Department of Global Ecology's Wu Sun received grants to support joint internships between the two Palo Alto-based departments and the Carnegie Academy for Science Education in Washington, D.C.. At the Observatories, Allison Matthews will use a grant to reach under-served Pasadena elementary school students with personalized, hands-on astronomy activity kits and at the Earth and Planets Laboratory (EPL) Johanna Teske will use a grant for computing support for undergraduate interns.

Several grants focus on the intersection of art and science. Plant Biology’s Selena Rice will expand the Plant Cell Atlas initiative's existing art exhibition partnership with HBCUs to showcase the work of historic Black plant researchers. Another Plant Biology program, run by Elena Lazarus, will advance an existing program to organize screenings of and panel discussions about science-related films. At the Observatories, Ethan Nadler will partner with Los Angeles-based arts education organization Create Now to make dark matter visualizations.

EPL’s Suzy Vitale and the Observatories Jeff Rich will both their grants for community outreach. Vitale will organize a Science in Your Backyard event for Washington, D.C., area science lovers and Rich will expand an existing program to bring local Pasadena students to the historic Mount Wilson Observatory.

The Observatories’ Gwen Rudie’s grant is also focused on strengthening community relationships, but with an inward gaze. Her project will facilitate lunchtime conversations and trust-building between different cohorts of employees on campus.

“This is a great batch of recipients, and we look forward to hearing their reflections as their projects progress,” Shahar concluded.