A skeleton of a prehistoric sloth-like creature.

An Annals article and lecture given by Samuel L. Mitchill in 1823 presented paleolithic research suggesting that the territory of the Megatherium americanum may have extended farther north than scientists had previously thought.

Published November 28, 2023

By Nick Fetty

An illustration of what the *Megatherium americanum* may have looked like.
Image by Nobu Tamura. Licensed via CC BY-SA 4.0.
No changes were made to the original work.

Massive sloth-like creatures may have been roaming the land that we now call the United States during the Pleistocene Epoch (between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago), according to research presented by The New York Academy of Sciences’ first president two hundred years ago this month.

Samuel L. Mitchell, a prominent physician, scientist, politician, and founding member of the Academy (then known as the “Lyceum of Natural History in the City of New York”) gave a talk at the Lyceum on November 17, 1823, entitled “Observations on the teeth of the MEGATHERIUM recently discovered in the United States.”

This was followed by an article by the same name published in the inaugural issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences in 1824. The article and lecture covered findings from Mitchell’s paleolithic research which suggested that the territory of the Megatherium (Megatherium americanum), a now-extinct species of giant ground sloth, may have extended farther north than scientists previously thought. This marked the first such recorded discovery north of the equator.

A Noteworthy Discovery

Mitchell received a set of fossil teeth that were discovered on Skidaway Island, just south of Savannah, Georgia. Mitchell noted that the teeth marked a noteworthy scientific discovery at that time, but bones that were discovered alongside the teeth were not able to be studied because of improper handling.

“These teeth are very remarkable, and differ much from any hitherto discovered in North America,” Mitchell wrote, adding “…there can be no doubt that the teeth in question belong to that extinct species, [known as] the Megaterium.”

A *Megatherium americanum* skeleton on display at the Natural History Museum in London.
Photo by Ballista.
Licensed via CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED.
No changes were made to the original work.

Built Upon Previous Findings

This discovery built upon similar findings from the late 18^th century (about fifty years prior) when a near-perfect skeleton of the Megaterium was discovered near Buenos Aires, Argentina. Years later, another specimen was discovered in Paraguay. The full skeleton was on display at the Royal Cabinet of Madrid (Spain) at the time Mitchell published his findings. Charles Darwin, another prominent member in the early history of the Lyceum, would go on to discover remains from another Megatherium in Argentina between 1832 and 1833.

The Megatherium was described as similar in size to a rhinoceros or elephant. Biologically, the furry creature occupied a space between a sloth (Bradypus Lin.) and an ant eater (Myrmecophaga Lin.), though it shared more characteristics with the former. Based on the form of the teeth and the structure of the claws, researchers hypothesized that the creature subsisted on vegetables, predominately roots.

5 1/2 Inches in Length

Mitchell described the fossils in his possession as “one tooth entire, with the exception of the fang which is broken transversely off, and the half of another, with the fang separated.” Each sample was square in shape, with rounded edges. Their approximate length of five and a half inches matched the description provided by previous researchers, indicating to Mitchell that these teeth were, in fact, likely those of a Megatherium. The teeth were black in color and the cutting edges were well-worn, indicating the animal’s likely advanced age at the time of its demise.

Mitchell, who arranged the Lyceum’s first formal meeting in 1817, concluded his paper by reemphasizing the importance of this discovery within the context of the natural history of the United States.

“Although, from the circumstances previously mentioned, it is hardly possible that a complete skeleton will be found, yet enough has been discovered to satisfy us, that the United States, which contains so many relics of huge animals, may add to her ‘giant brood,’ the Megatherium.”

Ethical Implications in the Development of AI

The research of Betty Li Hou, who presented a seminar as part of The New York Academy of Sciences’ Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Society Lecture series, explores the educational, philosophical, sociological, and legal dimensions that should be considered when developing ethical AI systems to benefit society.

Published November 21, 2023

By Nick Fetty

Betty Li Hou, a Ph.D. student in computer science at the New York University Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, presented her lecture “AI Alignment Through a Societal Lens” on November 9 at The New York Academy of Sciences.

Seminar attendees included the 2023 cohort of the Academy’s AI and Society post-doctoral fellowship program (a collaboration with Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society), who asked questions and engaged in a dialog throughout the talk. Hou’s hour-long presentation examined the ethical impacts that AI systems can have on societies, and how machine learning, philosophy, sociology, and law should all come together in the development of these systems.

“AI doesn’t exist independently from these other disciplines and so AI research in many ways needs to consider these dimensions, otherwise we’re only looking at one piece of the picture,” said Hou.

Hou’s research aims to capture the broader societal dynamics and issues surrounding the so-called ‘alignment problem,’ a term coined by author and researcher Brian Christian in his 2020 book of the same name. The alignment problem aims to ensure that AI systems pursue goals that match human values and interests, while trying to avoid unintended or undesirable outcomes.

Developing Ethical AI Systems

As values and interests vary across (and even within) countries and cultures, researchers are nonetheless struggling to develop ethical AI systems that transcend these differences and serve societies in a beneficial way. When there isn’t a clear guide for developing ethical AI systems, one of the key questions from Hou’s research becomes apparent: What values are implicitly/explicitly encoded in products?

“I think there are a lot of problems and risks that we need to sort through before extracting benefits from AI,” said Hou. “But I also see so many ways AI provides potential benefits, anything from helping with environmental issues to detecting harmful content online to helping businesses operate more efficiently. Even using AI for complex medical tasks like radiology.”

Social media content moderation is one area where AI algorithms have shown potential for serving society in a positive way. For example, on YouTube, 90% of videos that are reviewed are initially flagged by AI algorithms seeking to spot copyrighted material or other content that violates YouTube’s terms of service.

Hou, whose current work is also supported by a DeepMind Ph.D. Scholarship and an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, previously served as a Hackworth Fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics as an undergraduate studying computer science and engineering at Santa Clara University. She closed her recent lecture by reemphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in the development of AI systems that adequately serve society going forward.

“Computer scientists need to look beyond their field when answering certain ethical and societal issues around AI,” Hou said. “Interdisciplinary collaboration is absolutely necessary.”

About Annals

Overview

Journal Citation Reports® Science Edition (Clarivate Analytics, 2022) Impact Factor: 5.2

ISI Journal Citation Reports^© Ranking 2022: 17/73 (Multidisciplinary Sciences)

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences is an international science journal published monthly in many areas of science, though predominantly the biological sciences. Each issue presents original research articles and/or commissioned reviews, commentaries, and perspectives. Articles published online before print can be found here. In 2022, Ann NY Acad Sci began publishing a new front-half section of essays, book reviews/excerpts, commentaries, and perspectives in the spirit of The New York Academy of Sciences’ venerable general science magazine The Sciences (published 1960-2001). Ann NY Acad Sci is a hybrid (open access–subscription) journal available in 80+ countries worldwide, rigorously peer-reviewed, and ranked among the top multidisciplinary journals worldwide. Current journal metrics can be found here.

Aims and Scope

Published on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences, Ann NY Acad Sci provides multidisciplinary perspectives on research of current scientific interest with far-reaching implications for the wider scientific community and society at large. Each issue assembles top research and ideas by contributors to various fields of investigation at times of emerging developments and the possibility of new insight. Ann NY Acad Sci issues stimulate new ways to think about science by providing a neutral forum for discourse—within and across institutions and fields. Learn more about our aims and scope here.

Editorial Staff & Contact Information

Douglas Braaten, PhD, EMBA
Chief Scientific Officer
Editor-in-Chief
dbraaten@nyas.org

Patrick C.H. Lo, PhD
Senior Scientific Editor
plo@nyas.org

Benjamin Ragen, PhD
Senior Scientific Editor
bragen@nyas.org

Liang Dong, PhD
Senior Scientific Editor
ldong@nyas.org

Contact Information

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
New York, NY
annals@nyas.org
212-298-8634

Access & Ordering

Full text articles are available online through the Wiley online content platform, and subscribing libraries, and on a pay-per-view basis to others. Tables of contents and abstracts may be viewed by all.

Member Orders & Discounts

All Academy Members receive free unlimited digital access to Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. To explore Ann NY Acad Sci online, first log in via the Account page, then browse through the online catalog to find volumes and/or individual papers of interest to you
Ann NY Acad Sci volumes dating to 1823 have been digitized to provide an online archive available through institutions that have purchased access and to Academy members with Annals benefits who have logged in on The New York Academy of Sciences Web site.
Ann NY Acad Sci volumes are available in print format at a special discounted price for Members. To order, log in via the Account page, select the volume of your choice from the online catalog, then click the PURCHASE button associated with the volume(s) you wish to order.
Ann NY Acad Sci is published by Wiley. Academy Members may order any book offered on the Wiley bookstore at 25% off the list price.

Non-Member Orders & institutional subscriptions

Inquiries for institutional print and/or online access to Annals should be made directly through Wiley.

The previous year volumes or a single-issue purchase may be available from Wiley, subject to stock availability. To request a quotation for back issues please contact Wiley Help and Support with the journal, volume, issue, and mailing address details.

Earlier volumes can be purchased from Periodicals Service Company.

For bulk sales of volumes and/or commercial reprints of individual articles, please contact:

Douglas Braaten, PhD, EMBA
dbraaten@nyas.org

The Junior Academy Induction Ceremony

A woman gives a presentation during an Academy staff meeting.

Dr. Groome presents during The New York Academy of Sciences’ 205th Annual Meeting.

Nearly 3000 students were inducted into the Junior Academy as part of its newest cohort.

Published November 14, 2023

By Meghan Groome, PhD

At its 205th Annual Member Meeting on November 14, 2023, The New York Academy of Sciences launched a new tradition: the induction of our Junior Academy members into our membership ranks.

The Junior Academy has been engaging students since its founding in 1948 when the Academy began hosting the City-wide science and engineering fair. The arrival of this research competition dramatically increased the need for mentored research experiences in labs around the City. Recognizing the opportunity gap, the Academy began hosting regular meetups. These conversations led to a match making program that eventually found a new home online with the creation of Launchpad in 2016. Through Launchpad, a matchmaking and collaboration platform designed to help students find research partners and mentors, Junior Academy programming became more accessible than ever before. Today, any student with a device and access to the internet can participate in a world-class mentored research program.

At the Junior Academy, we work with partners to build a community of students and mentors who work in teams to solve open innovation challenges. The challenges are real world problems scoped out by our sponsors and brought to life by our education team. Since moving online, we’ve served over 10,000 students from over 100 countries by administering over 50 open innovation challenges.

Working in a group presents a unique set of challenges, especially in STEM research – which is itself no easy task. However, we know that diverse teams produce better research and innovation. We believe – and the proof is in our evaluations – that great teamwork can be taught and mentored. Collaboration, communication, and creativity are essential components of teamwork and skills that will translate to overcoming obstacles in any setting. We at the Academy are proud to provide a space for students and mentors to come together to participate in engaging STEM programming that believes in science for the greater good.

The Junior Academy wouldn’t be possible without the mentorship that our members provide. Research has proved, time and time again, that mentors are often the difference between loving STEM and persisting in STEM. Their energy and enthusiasm have allowed us to make a generational impact both abroad and in New York. Our members have donated over 4.5 million hours of their time to mentor the next generation.

At our 205th Annual meeting, we inducted 2,834 students from around the world into the Academy. These students completed our rigorous semester-long research experience during the 2022-2023 School Year.

Last year, over 700 teams of students:

Designed ways to use 5G and the Internet of Things to improve energy efficiency;
Explored the extremes of space, underwater and the edges of scientific discovery;
Documented the impacts of climate change on public health;
Discovered the connection between forest management and a sustainable future;
Designed urban micro gardens to address malnutrition and hunger in their neighborhoods;
Led the way in understanding the connections between human rights and cybersecurity;
Uncovered decades of water mismanagement to design and retrofit new, safe drinking water systems;
Rose to the challenge of building green schools, homes and other community structures; and finally,
Made healthier snacks that balance taste and nutrition.

At the Academy, we like to say that we shape the future of science. And that’s very true, but it’s important to point out that our youngest members aren’t just the future. They’re doing incredible things right now.

Transcript

Thank you for welcoming us to the Annual Meeting. My name is Dr. Meghan Groome and I’m the Senior Vice President for Education at the Academy. I’m here to represent all of the people at the Academy who make our education programs so powerful including the program team of Kaitlin Green, Rosemary Puckett and Sabrina Debler. I’d also like to thank the entire education team, AV/ IT, communications, membership and marketing teams.

This is truly a cross organizational effort and I want to thank everyone from the executive office to HR for all their hard work to bring this program to life. I’d especially like to thank our Advancement team who raised the funds to allow this program to be completely free to our students. And with that, I’d like to thank our generous sponsors who support our work with not only their funding but also their guidance, insight, and expertise.

They include:

The Royal Academy of Engineering in Sweden
The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative i.e. Stevens Initiative sponsored by the US Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute and supported by the Bezos Family Foundation and the governments of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates
Clifford Chance’s Cornerstone Initiative
Ericsson
The Ministry of Higher Education of Oman, and
NEOM
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
S & P Global

I’d also like to thank our incredible on the ground partners including the Royal Health Awareness Society in Jordan, Mentor Arabia and AMU.

I’d also like to thank all the parents, teachers, siblings, friends and alumni who cheer on our students, encourage them to apply and help explain to worried parents that no, they really are up at 3am watching a live stream about the flexible use of electricity.

Lastly, we also would like to take a moment to thank our international cohort of Mentors who worked with student teams and guided them through The Junior Academy learning process. Our members are the engine of our programs, serving as mentors, judges and now, a generation of alumni. Their energy and enthusiasm have allowed us to make a generational impact both abroad and especially in New York. We are so grateful for your time and expertise.

It’s clear from the research that mentors are often the difference between loving STEM and persisting in STEM. If you have a moment, I’d like you to think about your own mentor. How they shaped you. How they gave you a critical boost. I’d personally like to thank my mentor, Ruth Cohen, and I encourage all of us to thank our mentors and pass their wisdom forward to the next generation.

With all of my thanks out of the way, I’d like to talk about the Junior Academy itself. Founded in 1948, the Academy began hosting the City-wide science and engineering fair. The arrival of this research competition dramatically increased the need for mentored research experiences in labs around the City. Recognizing the opportunity gap, the Academy began hosting regular meetups. These conversations led to a match making program that eventually found a new home online in 2016.

With the advent of a new online platform, mentored research experiences could be moved online and scaled to any student with a device and access to an internet connection. In today’s Junior Academy, we work with partners to build a community of students and mentors who work in teams to solve open innovation challenges. The challenges are real world problems scoped out by our sponsors and brought to life by our education team. Since we moved online, we’ve served over 10,000 students from over 100 countries by administering over 50 open innovation challenges.

Last year, nearly 700 teams:

Designed ways to use 5G and the Internet of Things to improve energy efficiency,
Explored the Extremes of Space, underwater and the edges of scientific discovery,
Documented the impacts of climate change on public health,
Discovered the connection between forest management and a sustainable future,
Designed urban micro gardens to address malnutrition and hunger in their neighborhoods,
led the way in understanding the connections between human rights and cybersecurity,
Uncovered decades of water mismanagement to design and retrofit new, safe drinking water systems
Rose to the challenge of building green schools, homes and other community structures, and finally, my favorite,
Made healthier snacks that balance taste and nutrition.

In addition to the Junior Academy, nearly 800 students participated in the 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures program. Students worked in close-knit teams with mentors to build core scientific and work ready skills that complement their research projects.

On its own, STEM research is hard. In a team, STEM reach can be even harder. But we know that diverse teams produce better research and innovation. We believe, and the proof is in our evaluations, that great teamwork can be taught and mentored. Collaboration, communication, and creativity are essential components of team work, and for that matter, overcoming obstacles in any setting. We at the Academy are proud to provide a space for students and mentors to come together to participate in engaging STEM programming that believes in science for the greater good.

Bringing together young people from around the globe in a STEM-enriched environment can open doors and prepare students for science paths otherwise unknown and we are so pleased to be a part of their STEM journey.

Today, we inducted 2,834 students from the Junior Academy and 1000 Girls 1000 Futures to join the New York Academy of Sciences as Young Members. We are so proud of you and pleased to connect you with the legacy of the Academy. At the Academy, we like to say that we shape the future of science. And that’s very true, but I always like to point out that our youngest members aren’t just the future, they’re doing incredible things right now.

Please join me in welcoming the Junior Academy Class of 2023 into the New York Academy of Sciences.

Board of Governors

Board

Chair

Peter Salovey, Former President, Yale University

Immediate Past Chair

Jerry Hultin, Chair and Co-Founder, Global Futures Group, LLC

Vice-Chair

Thomas Pompidou, Partner and Founder, Marker, LLC

Treasurer

Amber Miller, President, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

President

Nicholas B. Dirks, President and Chief Executive Officer, The New York Academy of Sciences

Corporate Secretary

Tino van den Heuvel, The New York Academy of Sciences

Executive Associate to the Corporate Secretary

Catherine Sarquiz, The New York Academy of Sciences

Governors

Armen Avanessians, Former Head and Chief Investment Officer, Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s (GSAM) Quantitative Investment Strategies Group
Serg Bell, Founder and Chairman, Constructor Group, and Founder, Acronis
Stacie Bloom, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
MaryEllen Elia, President, Success for Students, Inc.; former Partner and Senior Fellow, International Center for Leadership in Education; former Commissioner of Education and President of The University of the State of New York
Thomas C. Franco, Senior Advisor, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC
Jay Gambetta, Director of Research and IBM Fellow, IBM
Aida Habtezion, Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Stanford University; Former Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Worldwide Medical & Safety, Pfizer Inc.
Kevin Ham, Co-CEO and Chairman, Company.ai; Chairman and CEO, Reinvent Inc.
Jerry Hultin, Chair and Co-Founder, Global Futures Group, LLC; Chair Emeritus, The New York Academy of Sciences
Chitkala Kalidas, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Environment, Social & Governance, Bayer
Seema Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Cure.; former Global Head – Office of Innovation, Global Health and Scientific Engagement, Johnson & Johnson
Ravi Kumar S., Chief Executive Officer, Cognizant
R. May Lee, President, Olin College of Engineering
Jeff Legos, Executive Vice President and Chief Oncology Officer at Pfizer
Vanessa Lyon, Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG (New York)
Jim Reddoch, EVP, Investments & CSO, Royalty Pharma
John Reed, Executive Vice President, Innovative Medicine, R&D, Johnson & Johnson
Lowell Robinson, Corporate Director and Advisor, Barnes & Noble Education
Laura B. Sachar, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, StarVest Partners
Konstantin Shakhnovich, Former Global Head of Trading, Citadel Asset Management; former Partner and Global Head of Systematic Market-Making, Goldman Sachs
Subra Suresh, President, Global Learning Council; Former President of Carnegie Mellon University, and former Director of the US National Science Foundation
Chandrika Tandon, Recognized Business Leader, Grammy Award Winning Artist, and Humanitarian
Peter Thorén, Executive Vice President, Access Industries; Head of the Access Family Office
Grace Wang, 17th President of Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Jeremy Wertheimer, Chief Executive Officer, Biological Engineering Ventures
H. Michael Wiliams, Accomplished executive leader in the global financial marketplace, intercollegiate athletics arena, and non-profit sector.
George D. Yancopoulos, Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer, Regeneron
Michael Young, Nobel Laureate; Richard and Jeanne Fisher Professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs, The Rockefeller University

Life Governors

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of the Board, Tata Sons
Paul Horn, Executive Chair and Founding Partner, Venly; Distinguished Scientist in Residence, New York University; former Senior Vice Provost for Research, New York University; former Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research
Pablo Legorreta, Founder and CEO, Royalty Pharma
Torsten Wiesel, Nobel Laureate; President Emeritus and Vincent and Brooke Astor Professor Emeritus, The Rockefeller University; former Secretary-General, Human Frontier Science Program Organization

International Board of Governors

Seth F. Berkley, Former Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance
Gerald Chan, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Morningside Group
S. “Kris” Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder, Infosys; Chairman, Axilor Ventures
Toni Hoover, Director, Strategy Planning and Management, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Johan Rockström, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Professor, Earth System Science, University of Potsdam
Paul Stoffels, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Galapagos NV; Former Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson

Emeriti

Chairs Emeriti

Jerry Hultin (2019-2024), Chair and Co-Founder, Global Futures Group, LLC
Paul Horn (2016-2019), Executive Chair and Founding Partner, Venly; Distinguished Scientist in Residence, New York University; former Senior Vice Provost for Research, New York University; former Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research
Nancy Zimpher (2011-2016), Chancellor Emeritus, The State University of New York
John E. Sexton (2007-2011), Former President, New York University
Torsten N. Wiesel (2001-2006), Nobel Laureate; President Emeritus and Vincent and Brooke Astor Professor Emeritus, The Rockefeller University; former Secretary-General, Human Frontier Science Program Organization

President Emeritus

Ellis Rubinstein, Former President and Chief Executive Officer, The New York Academy of Sciences

President’s Council

Peter Agre, Nobel Laureate; University Professor and Director, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Richard Axel, Nobel Laureate; University Professor, Columbia University; Investigator, HHMI
Etienne-Emile Baulieu, Former President, French Academy of Sciences
Len Blavatnik, Founder, Access Industries
Irina Bokova, Former Director General, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Michael S. Brown, Nobel Laureate; Professor of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Linda Buck, Nobel Laureate; Investigator, HHMI; Member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Karen E. Burke, Dermatologist and Research Scientist
Thomas R. Cech, Nobel Laureate; Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
Martin Chalfie, Nobel Laureate; University Professor of Biological Sciences, Columbia University
Aaron J. Ciechanover, Nobel Laureate; Distinguished Research Professor, Tumor and Vascular Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
Kenneth L. Davis, President and CEO of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City
Peter Doherty, Nobel Laureate; Researcher, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN); Researcher, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne
Mikael Dolsten, Former President, Worldwide Research and Development; Former Senior Vice-President, Pfizer Inc.
Jan Eliasson, Former Deputy Secretary-General to the United Nations
Jerome I. Friedman, Nobel Laureate; Institute Professor & Professor of Physics, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Joseph Goldstein, Nobel Laureate; Chairman, Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
S. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, Axilor Ventures / Co-founder Infosys
Glenda Greenwald, President, Aspen Brain Forum Foundation
William A. Haseltine, President, The Haseltine Foundation for Medical Sciences and the Arts; Chairman, Haseltine Global Health, LLC
Hon. Jerry MacArthur Hultin, Senior Presidential Fellow, New York University; President Emeritus, Polytechnic Institute of NYU; Former Under Secretary of the Navy
Eric Kandel, Nobel Laureate; Professor, Physiology and Cell Biology, Columbia University
Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Former Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan; Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Gregory Lucier, Chief Executive Officer, Corza Health
Roderick MacKinnon, Nobel Laureate; John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Professor, Rockefeller University; Investigator, HHMI
Richard Menschel, Senior Director, Goldman Sachs
Ronay Menschel, Chairman of the Board, Phipps Houses; Board of Overseers, Weill Cornell Medical College
David K.A. Mordecai, Co-Managing Member, Numerati^® Partners LLC, RiskEcon^® Lab for Decision Metrics @ Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences NYU, and Co-Founder, Risk Economics, Inc.
John F. Niblack, Former President, Pfizer Global Research & Development
Paul Nurse, Nobel Laureate; Former President, The Rockefeller University; Former President, The Royal Society, London; Chief Executive, The Francis Crick Institute
Yoshinori Ohsumi, Nobel Laureate; Professor, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology (IIR)
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Nobel Laureate; Former President, the Royal Society
Richard Roberts, Nobel Laureate; Chief Scientific Officer, New England Biolabs
James E. Rothman, Nobel Laureate; Yale University School of Medicine, Fergus F. Wallace Professor of Cell Biology and Professor of Chemistry; Chairman, Department of Cell Biology; Director, Nanobiology Institute
Bengt Samuelsson, Nobel Laureate; Professor, Medical and Physiological Chemistry, Karolinska Institute; Former Chairman, The Nobel Foundation
Ismail Serageldin, Director, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, The Library of Alexandria, Egypt
Phillip A. Sharp, Nobel Laureate; Director, The McGovern Institute, MIT Center for Cancer Research
Feike Sijbesma, CEO/Chairman of the Managing Board, Royal DSM
Michael Sohlman, Former Executive Director, The Nobel Foundation
Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson; Member of the Johnson & Johnson Executive Committee and Management Committee; Worldwide Co-Chairman, Pharmaceuticals Group
Jack W. Szostak, Nobel Laureate; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University; Alex A. Rich Distinguished Investigator, Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Former President, Stanford University
Craig B. Thompson, President and CEO, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Shirley Tilghman, President Emerita/Professor of Molecular Biology, Princeton University
Frank Walsh, Chief Executive Officer, Ossianix, Inc.
George Whitesides, Woodford L. & Ann A. Flowers University Professor, Harvard University
Torsten N. Wiesel, Nobel Laureate; Chairman Emeritus, The New York Academy of Sciences; Former Secretary General, Human Frontier Science Program Organization; President Emeritus, Rockefeller University
Frank Wilczek, Nobel Laureate; The Herman Feshbach Professor of Physics, MIT
Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, Secretary General, Human Frontier Science Program; Former Secretary General, European Research Council; Former President, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Germany
Andrew Witty, Former Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline
Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of Malaysia
Elias Zerhouni, Former Head of Global Research and Development, Sanofi

Board Voices

				[{"id":23067,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/testimonial\/armen-avanessians-goldman-sachs-ret\/","name":"armen-avanessians-goldman-sachs-ret","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Armen-Avanessians.png","alt":"A man in a suit and tie poses for the camera."},"title":"Armen Avanessians","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Feb 4, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-02-04 13:25:51","modifiedDate":"2025-02-26 16:06:35","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-02-26 16:06:35","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"","space":""},"taxonomies":{"feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"","scientific-theme":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":8},"status":"publish","content":"<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Goldman Sachs (ret.)<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Engaging young people in the scientific method\u2014observing, building models, testing ideas\u2014helps them gain knowledge, and that excites me most about the Academy.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},{"id":22797,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/testimonial\/tom-franco-clayton-dubilier-rice-llc\/","name":"tom-franco-clayton-dubilier-rice-llc","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Thomas-Franco.jpg","alt":"A man in a suit smiles for the camera."},"title":"Tom Franco","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Jan 28, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-01-28 13:32:27","modifiedDate":"2025-02-26 16:06:23","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-02-26 16:06:23","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"","space":""},"taxonomies":{"feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/science-in-society\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Science in Society<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":9},"status":"publish","content":"<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>The Academy\u2019s mission has never been more important, particularly during a time when trust in science can no longer be taken for granted.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},{"id":14831,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/testimonial\/peter-l-thoren\/","name":"peter-l-thoren","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Peter-Thoren.jpg","alt":"Headshot of Peter Thoren"},"title":"Peter L. Thor\u00e9n","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Apr 3, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-04-03 14:57:21","modifiedDate":"2026-03-31 18:03:42","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-31 18:03:42","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"","space":""},"taxonomies":{"feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":14},"status":"publish","content":"<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Access Industries<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>I have great respect and admiration for what talented scientists can do. The brilliance of science is producing solutions to problems and making the world better. Being a Board member for the Academy enables me to assist in that process in any way I can.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},{"id":5244,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/testimonial\/grace-wang\/","name":"grace-wang","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/grace-wang.jpg","alt":"A formally dressed woman smiles."},"title":"Grace Wang","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Jan 26, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-01-26 18:24:18","modifiedDate":"2025-02-26 16:16:18","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-02-26 16:16:18","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"","space":""},"taxonomies":{"feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/stem-pathways\/' rel='scientific-theme'>STEM Pathways<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":13},"status":"publish","content":"<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Worcester Polytechnic Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>The New York Academy of Sciences looks to the future and continues to empower the next generation of STEM professionals. As the science and technology landscape rapidly evolves, this is particularly an exciting time to be part of the Academy.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},{"id":3659,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/testimonial\/jerry-and-jill-hultin\/","name":"jerry-and-jill-hultin","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Jerry-and-Jill-Hultin-2023.png","alt":"A couple pose together and smile for the camera."},"title":"Jerry and Jill Hultin","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Jan 11, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-01-11 20:42:44","modifiedDate":"2025-02-26 16:42:37","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-02-26 16:42:37","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"","space":""},"taxonomies":{"feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/partner-funder\/' rel='feature'>Partner\/Funder<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/stem-pathways\/' rel='scientific-theme'>STEM Pathways<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":11},"status":"publish","content":"<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Global Futures Group, LLC<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Jill and I are thrilled to support The New York Academy of Sciences\u2019 renewed drive to create a positive impact and encourage science-informed decision-making to address the most challenging problems of our times.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"}]

Board Spotlight

				[{"id":33883,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/nyu-president-emeritus-honored-as-science-trailblazer\/","name":"nyu-president-emeritus-honored-as-science-trailblazer","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/John-Sexton-Trailblazer-SQUARE-150x150.png","alt":""},"title":"NYU President Emeritus Honored as Science \u201cTrailblazer\u201d","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"May 4, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-05-04 18:27:58","modifiedDate":"2026-05-06 16:35:28","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-05-06 16:35:28","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/new-york-city\/\" rel=\"category tag\">New York City<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/nick-fetty\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nick Fetty<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/new-york-city\/\" rel=\"category tag\">New York City<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/nick-fetty\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nick Fetty<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/story-of-impact\/' rel='blog-category'>Story of Impact<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/award-winner\/' rel='feature'>Award Winner<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/awards\/' rel='program-category'>Awards<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/spring-soiree\/' rel='program-category'>Spring Soir\u00e9e<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/science-in-society\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Science in Society<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":9},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Education, humility, laughter, faith, and baseball are some of John Sexton's guiding principles."},{"id":33860,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/recognizing-excellence-in-teaching-and-mentoring\/","name":"recognizing-excellence-in-teaching-and-mentoring","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cognizant-Award-150x150.png","alt":"Five formally dressed people pose together on stage."},"title":"Recognizing Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Apr 30, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-04-30 19:03:18","modifiedDate":"2026-05-04 19:48:50","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-05-04 19:48:50","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/professional-development\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Professional Development<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/professional-development\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Professional Development<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/program-wrap-up\/' rel='blog-category'>Program Wrap-Up<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/award-winner\/' rel='feature'>Award Winner<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/awards\/' rel='program-category'>Awards<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/stem-pathways\/' rel='scientific-theme'>STEM Pathways<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":42},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Rocheli Apilan and Samay Garg, PhD, are the recipients of the 2026 Cognizant STEM Teacher of the Year and the Cognizant STEM Mentor of the Year."},{"id":31868,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/academy-recognizes-n-chandrasekaran-as-life-governor\/","name":"academy-recognizes-n-chandrasekaran-as-life-governor","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Natarajan-Chandrasekaran-and-Nicholas-B-Dirks-150x150.jpg","alt":"Two men pose together with a certificate."},"title":"Academy Recognizes N. Chandrasekaran as Life Governor","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Dec 5, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-12-05 14:56:33","modifiedDate":"2025-12-08 17:50:16","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-12-08 17:50:16","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/nick-fetty\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nick Fetty<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/nick-fetty\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nick Fetty<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/academy-announcement\/' rel='blog-category'>Academy Announcement<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/awards\/' rel='program-category'>Awards<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/tata\/' rel='program-category'>Tata Transformation Prize<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/science-in-society\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Science in Society<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":31},"status":"publish","excerpt":"The New York Academy of Sciences is proud to recognize the Tata Sons Chairman."},{"id":22714,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/qa-with-academy-board-member-armen-avanessians\/","name":"qa-with-academy-board-member-armen-avanessians","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Armen-Avanessians-150x150.png","alt":"A man in a suit and tie poses for the camera."},"title":"Q&A with Academy Board Member Armen Avanessians","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Feb 4, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-02-04 13:19:04","modifiedDate":"2025-10-31 19:29:02","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-10-31 19:29:02","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/engineering\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Engineering<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/engineering\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Engineering<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/stem-pathways\/' rel='scientific-theme'>STEM Pathways<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":11},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Armen Avanessians is a former Chief Investment Officer with Goldman Sachs Asset Management."},{"id":22705,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/qa-with-academy-board-member-tom-franco\/","name":"qa-with-academy-board-member-tom-franco","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Tom-Franco-FULL-SQUARE-150x150.jpg","alt":"A man in a suit smiles for the camera."},"title":"Q&A with Academy Board Member Tom Franco","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Jan 28, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-01-28 13:43:16","modifiedDate":"2025-10-31 19:27:57","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-10-31 19:27:57","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/board-member\/' rel='feature'>Board Member<\/a>","program-category":"","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/science-in-society\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Science in Society<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":10},"status":"publish","excerpt":"A Senior Advisor at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC with experience in law, business, entrepreneurship, and teaching."}]

Annual Report & Audited Financials

Annual Reports

The Annual Report offers our members, supporters, and the global scientific community a snapshot of the most impactful accomplishments of the year.

Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2017 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report

Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report

Financial Documents

The New York Academy of Sciences’ financials are reviewed annually by independent auditors and provided to the IRS with the information required for tax-exempt organizations by filing Form 990.

Fiscal Year 2024 Audited Financials

Fiscal Year 2024 Form 990

The Academy Hosts Open House to Inaugurate Its New Headquarters

An exterior shot of the U.S. Realty Company building in lower Manhattan.

The Academy moved into the landmark building at 115 Broadway last May and celebrated by hosting almost 200 scientists and science enthusiasts for a special panel discussion and networking reception.

Published September 25, 2023

By David Freeman

*Entrance to the Academy’s new headquarters at 115 Broadway*

The New York Academy of Sciences inaugurated its new headquarters in Manhattan’s Financial District on September 14, 2023, with an Open House that hosted almost 200 scientists and science enthusiasts on the eighth floor of the U.S. Realty Building, a neo-Gothic skyscraper erected in 1907. The Academy moved into the landmark building at 115 Broadway last May.

The festive gathering opened a new chapter in the Academy’s 206-year history and marked the resumption of its robust program of in-person events. It featured science-themed interactive displays and idea boards on which attendees posted notes jotted in response to questions such as “What recent developments in green tech do you find most promising?” and “What do you think will be among the diseases cured by gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR Cas9?”

Attendees were also treated to a panel discussion on the future of science moderated by Nicholas B. Dirks, the Academy’s President & CEO, followed by remarks from the Chair of the Academy’s Board of Governors, Hon. Jerry Hultin.

“It’s great to have you here for the first open house,” Dirks told the audience before introducing the panelists, all members of the board. “We’ve held a few conferences here but nothing quite like this.”

Dirks asked the panelists to discuss “things that they are keeping their eyes on, both in terms of opportunities but also challenges and potential dangers.”

Advances in Quantum Computing

Darío Gil, PhD, senior vice president and director of research at IBM, predicted that a new generation of quantum computers—which perform calculations using quantum mechanical analogs of the zero and one binary digits, or bits, used by classical computers—would bring “exponential advancements” in the ability to simulate the physical world. As a result, he said, quantum computing would find wide use in chemistry, materials science, physics, and biology and “help us tackle some of the most pressing and important problems” facing humanity.

“That’s going to matter for everything from fertilizers for agriculture to new alloys for aerospace or batteries for automotive or new molecules in biology,” Dr. Gil said, adding that quantum computing would also transform encryption systems.

“We have not yet quite crossed a threshold where we can do things that are impossible to do with classical machines,” he said. “But that crossover is going to happen … it’s going to happen a hundred percent in this decade.”

Science in the Development of Vaccines

Panel on the Future of Science
(from L) Hon. Jerry Hultin, Board Chair, The New York Academy of Sciences; Nicholas Dirks, President & CEO, The New York Academy of Sciences; Darío Gil, PhD, senior vice president and director of research at IBM; Aida Habtezion, MD, chief medical officer and head of worldwide medical & safety at Pfizer; Subra Suresh, PhD, former director of the National Science Foundation and former President of Carnegie Mellon

Aida Habtezion, MD, chief medical officer and head of worldwide medical & safety at Pfizer, detailed the key role that data science played in the rapid development of Covid vaccines. She said the confluence of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, in particular, would speed the development of more new vaccines and drugs and better ensure their safety and effectiveness for large populations.

“Engineering is now actually moving into medicine, what we thought traditionally was a separate field,” Dr. Habtezion said.

Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence

Subra Suresh, PhD, former director of the National Science Foundation and former President of Carnegie Mellon, referenced the merging of technologies as an important trend in scientific research. He described recent experiments in which nanotechnology used in conjunction with Artificial Intelligence (AI) had given scientists key insights into altering the properties of diamond and other semiconductor materials. “No supercomputer available today can do this,” he said of the research, adding that similar work might yield new advances in microelectronics and energy storage.

Dr. Suresh made the case that AI may approach problems and conceive new inventions in ways that humans find hard to do. For example, he said, chess-playing AI has shown a willingness to sacrifice one’s queen as a route to victory—a gambit few human chess players are bold enough to try. And humans can be surprisingly slow to recognize opportunities even for simple but high-value innovations. To illustrate that point, he shared the observation that “the first patent for putting a wheel on a suitcase was filed after Neil Armstrong” set foot on the moon.

“Innovation comes in many different shades,” Dr. Suresh said. “There are sexy ones and not-so-sexy ones, and here is an example of a not-so-sexy one which is a lot more useful on a day-to-day basis for hundreds of millions of people.”

*Zenna Tavares, co-founder and director, Basis AI*

In his remarks, Jerry Hultin thanked the attendees for supporting the academy and reminded them that some of history’s greatest thinkers had been members. “We’re very proud of the fact that Thomas Jefferson, Charles Darwin, Margaret Mead all belonged to the Academy,” he said. “I think they’d be impressed tonight to know where the Academy has come to.”

Making Their New Space “Home”

Speaking after the event, Dirks said he hoped the new headquarters would become “one of the principal spaces for convening debates, deliberations, explorations into the best way to shape science going forward…My hope is that we become not only the virtual go-to space but we actually become the physical go-to space where people think ‘this is the place where I can hang out, I can interact with really interesting, smart people, I can engage in conversations that reflect the Academy’s fundamental purpose.’”

The headquarters—its walls hung with science-inspired artwork on loan from artists throughout NYC laboratories and Cape Cod –occupies about 20,000 square feet, roughly half of which is set aside for events. The new offices are just a few blocks away from where the Academy was founded in 1817 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons on Barclay Street near Broadway.

The open house was made possible through the generous support of: Columbia Engineering, Kasirer, AKA Strategy, BenefitPlan Manager, EisnerAmper, and NYU.

Watch the video recording of the panel discussion on the Future of Science

Working at the Academy

The New York Academy of Sciences’ staff share a constructive spirit and a willingness to take responsibility to address the challenges faced by society through scientific enterprise. Our organizational culture fosters openness, inclusivity, and innovation, and we are proud to work with a network of like-minded partners worldwide to deliver high-quality programs and publications to our members and beyond.

At the Academy, supervisors utilize a comprehensive onboarding plan to guide new employees during their first six months, equipping them with the necessary tools and resources for success. Through a structured approach to goal-setting and by providing continuous feedback throughout the year, employees are supported in achieving success matching their role’s objectives.

Collaboration & Teamwork

In the age of the hybrid workplace, the Academy is committed to finding new ways to enhance employee connections with their colleagues while building collaborative cross-functional teams.

Supporting the ongoing development of the whole person fosters long-term talent retention, and to that end, we encourage employees to shape their Academy experience to align with their purpose and future goals.

Our Culture

The Academy relies on our employees and partners to serve as ambassadors who adhere to the following principles, which guide us toward achieving our organizational goals:

Excellence: We maintain high standards and ambitious goals across all programs and services.
Passion: We are inspired by the potential of science to make a positive impact.
Integrity: We cultivate an environment of trust, respect and credibility.
Ingenuity: We value creativity, innovative thinking, open-mindedness, resourcefulness and efficiency.
Collaboration: We encourage teamwork, knowledge sharing and partnerships.
Commitment to the Public Good: We tackle society’s challenges and aim to improve the human condition through scientific enterprise.

Our Team in Action

				[{"id":32797,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/academy-education-experts-lead-k-12-workshop\/","name":"academy-education-experts-lead-k-12-workshop","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/20260213_112030.png","alt":"Three women pose in front of a sign."},"title":"Academy Education Experts Lead K\u201312 Workshop","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nickfetty\/"},"date":"Mar 13, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-13 13:23:52","modifiedDate":"2026-05-05 12:26:01","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-05-05 12:26:01","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/professional-development\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Professional Development<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/professional-development\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Professional Development<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/thought-leadership\/' rel='blog-category'>Thought Leadership<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/learning\/' rel='program-category'>Learning<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/stem-pathways\/' rel='scientific-theme'>STEM Pathways<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":2},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Scientific literacy begins with curiosity. This was on display at the AAAS Annual Meeting."},{"id":3195,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/brooke-grindlinger-phd\/","name":"brooke-grindlinger-phd","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Brooke-Grindlinger_2023-Headshot-2-scaled.jpg","alt":"Headshot of Brooke Grindlinger"},"title":"Staff Spotlight: Brooke Grindlinger, PhD","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Jan 9, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-01-09 15:24:05","modifiedDate":"2025-11-04 19:53:53","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-11-04 19:53:53","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/profile\/' rel='blog-category'>Profile<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"","speaker-name":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/speaker-name\/brooke-grindlinger-phd\/' rel='speaker-name'>Brooke Grindlinger, PhD<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":8,"sec":20},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Brooke Grindlinger, PhD, the Academy's Chief Scientific Officer, talks about her STEM journey and what inspires her."},{"id":4701,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/staff-spotlight-sonya-dougal-phd\/","name":"staff-spotlight-sonya-dougal-phd","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sonya-dougal-july-2017-preferred.jpg","alt":"Headshot of Sonya Dougal."},"title":"Staff Spotlight: Sonya Dougal, PhD","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Aug 23, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-08-23 17:49:00","modifiedDate":"2026-03-24 17:28:26","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-24 17:28:26","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/profile\/' rel='blog-category'>Profile<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"","scientific-theme":"","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":36},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Sonya Dougal, Senior Vice President of Scientific Programs and Awards, talks about her STEM journey."},{"id":4693,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/staff-spotlight-sanaz-masserat\/","name":"staff-spotlight-sanaz-masserat","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sanaz-Masserat-funny-pic-CROP.png","alt":"An Academy staffer goofing around with sensors detecting her brainwaves."},"title":"Staff Spotlight: Sanaz Masserat","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Apr 12, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-04-12 17:39:00","modifiedDate":"2025-12-03 14:17:27","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-12-03 14:17:27","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/profile\/' rel='blog-category'>Profile<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":21},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Sanaz Masserat, the Academy's Meetings Coordinator, talks about why science is important."},{"id":4690,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/staff-spotlight-melanie-brickman-borchard-phd-msc\/","name":"staff-spotlight-melanie-brickman-borchard-phd-msc","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/melanie-brickman-borchard.jpg","alt":"Headshot of Melanie Brickman Borchard."},"title":"Staff Spotlight: Melanie Brickman Borchard, PhD, MSc","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Apr 9, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-04-09 16:57:00","modifiedDate":"2026-03-24 17:32:43","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-24 17:32:43","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/profile\/' rel='blog-category'>Profile<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":3},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Melanie Brickman Borchard, Director of Life Sciences, is responsible for overseeing a diverse range of science events."},{"id":3069,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/staff-spotlight-adrienne-umali-associate-director-education\/","name":"staff-spotlight-adrienne-umali-associate-director-education","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/adrienne-umali.jpg","alt":"A woman wearing flannel poses for the camera."},"title":"Staff Spotlight: Adrienne Umali\u00a0","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Jan 5, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-01-05 21:57:00","modifiedDate":"2025-12-03 14:17:00","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-12-03 14:17:00","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/profile\/' rel='blog-category'>Profile<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/learning\/' rel='program-category'>Learning<\/a>","scientific-theme":"","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":48},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Adrienne Umali discusses why science is important and names the scientist she'd like to meet."},{"id":3188,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/staff-spotlight-ben-ragen\/","name":"staff-spotlight-ben-ragen","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Ben-Ragen-Profile-pic-559x1024-1.jpg","alt":"A man with sunglasses smiles for the camera."},"title":"Staff Spotlight: Ben Ragen","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Jan 9, 2022","dateGMT":"2022-01-09 14:59:00","modifiedDate":"2025-12-03 14:17:17","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-12-03 14:17:17","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/profile\/' rel='blog-category'>Profile<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/staff\/' rel='feature'>Staff<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":23},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Ben Ragen discusses his work as an editor of Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences."}]

Job Openings

A graphic stating: We Are Hiring! Join Our Team

Current Positions

				[{"id":33662,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/about-us\/careers\/job-openings\/associate-director-fellowships-professional-learning\/","name":"associate-director-fellowships-professional-learning","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/we_are_hiring.png","alt":"A graphic stating: We Are Hiring! Join Our Team"},"title":"Associate Director, Fellowships & Professional Learning","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/klam\/"},"date":"Apr 15, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-04-15 14:56:47","modifiedDate":"2026-05-06 13:32:38","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-05-06 13:32:38","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-category":"","feature":"","program-category":""},"readTime":{"min":5,"sec":56},"status":"publish","excerpt":"The Associate Director, Fellowships & Professional Learning reports to the Senior Vice President, Scientific Programs and Awards, and leads the strategy, execution, and growth of the Academy\u2019s scientific Fellowships & Professional Learning portfolio. This includes programs such as the Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience and the Science Alliance program for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers."},{"id":32859,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/about-us\/careers\/job-openings\/vice-president-development\/","name":"vice-president-development","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/we_are_hiring.png","alt":"A graphic stating: We Are Hiring! Join Our Team"},"title":"Vice President, Development","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/klam\/"},"date":"Mar 18, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-18 17:59:48","modifiedDate":"2026-04-15 18:22:52","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-04-15 18:22:52","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"Uncategorized","space":"Uncategorized"},"taxonomies":{"blog-category":"","feature":"","program-category":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":15},"status":"publish","excerpt":"The Vice President, Development leads the Academy\u2019s philanthropic strategy and fundraising efforts to secure major gifts, corporate partnerships, and foundation grants that support scientific research, education initiatives, and global collaboration. Serving as both senior fundraiser and strategic leader, this role balances direct donor engagement with oversight of development operations, performance, and long-term revenue growth."}]

Learn more about the Academy

What We Do

Through a collective action approach, the Academy promotes holistic, innovative solutions to advance the sciences for the economic and social wellbeing of society through research, education and policy.

New in Annals

Older posts

Newer posts

An Annals article and lecture given by Samuel L. Mitchill in 1823 presented paleolithic research suggesting that the territory of the Megatherium americanum may have extended farther north than scientists had previously thought.

A Noteworthy Discovery

Built Upon Previous Findings

5 1/2 Inches in Length

Developing Ethical AI Systems

Overview

Aims and Scope

Related Links

Editorial Staff & Contact Information

Contact Information

Access & Ordering

Member Orders & Discounts

Non-Member Orders & institutional subscriptions

For bulk sales of volumes and/or commercial reprints of individual articles, please contact:

Nearly 3000 students were inducted into the Junior Academy as part of its newest cohort.

Transcript

Board

Chair

Immediate Past Chair

Vice-Chair

Treasurer

President

Corporate Secretary

Executive Associate to the Corporate Secretary

Governors

Life Governors

International Board of Governors

Emeriti

Chairs Emeriti

President Emeritus

President’s Council

Board Voices

Board Spotlight

Annual Reports

Financial Documents

The Academy moved into the landmark building at 115 Broadway last May and celebrated by hosting almost 200 scientists and science enthusiasts for a special panel discussion and networking reception.

Advances in Quantum Computing

Science in the Development of Vaccines

Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence

Making Their New Space “Home”

Watch the video recording of the panel discussion on the Future of Science

Collaboration & Teamwork

Our Culture

Our Team in Action

Current Positions

Learn more about the Academy