The Heising-Simons Foundation is proud to regularly see many of its grantee partners featured in media outlets across the country, providing an expert voice on a timely issue or being highlighted for their accomplishments and hard work. Here are some news items that have featured our grantees over the past month:

Yale Space Scientists Seeking 100 Earth Analogues
Forbes, March 31, 2018
Imagine a machine that allows astronomers to discover worlds that are “Earth analogues”––that is, planets of similar size, with rocky surfaces, holding water, and orbiting a Sun-like star. Led by astronomer Debra Fischer, Yale’s Extreme Precision Spectrometer (EXPRES) is just that kind of instrument, allowing scientists to measure “the tiniest of wobbles from a target star.” EXPRES is supported by the Foundation’s Science program.

Are We Quantum Computers? International Collaboration Will Investigate the Brain’s Potential for Quantum Computation
Physics.org, March 27, 2018
Led by UC Santa Barbara’s theoretical physicist Matthew Fisher, an international collaboration of researchers will investigate the brain’s potential for quantum computation. If quantum processes exist in our brains, it could transform how we understand and treat human cognition and brain functions. The Quantum Brain Project is supported by the Foundation’s Science program. 

Little National Research Is Done on Gun Violence, so Some States Are Stepping In
Washington Post, March 26, 2018
With federal agencies conducting essentially no research on gun violence and prevention, states are weighing whether to step in to fill that gap. Led by Dr. Garen Wintemute, the University of California Firearm Violence Prevention Research Center (FVRC) is the only state-funded research center of its kind in the United States, and could become a model for other states to emulate. The Foundation’s Community and Opportunity program supports the U.C. Davis Violence Prevention Research Program, where FVRC is located.

Accuracy of Methane Leak Reporting in Alberta Clouds Scope for New Regulations
The Globe and Mail, March 22, 2018
As Canadian provinces Ottawa and Alberta prepare to regulate methane emissions, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has published a study that shows methane emissions in central Alberta are significantly higher than those reported by the oil and gas industry. EDF is supported by the Foundation’s Climate and Clean Energy program. 

Governor: New Focus on Youngest Children Key to Education Gains
The Advocate, March 14, 2018
“The problem in Louisiana is we have so many kids who enter school so far behind we never catch them up,” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said at a gathering focused on discussing how to provide access to high-quality child care to families for the nation’s youngest learners. The Foundation’s Education program supports the National Governors Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures to better equip governors and key policy staff in understanding best practices in early childhood care and education.

Pre-K, Plus a Little Extra, Can Help Close Math Gaps for Children in Poverty
Education Week, March 6, 2018
High-quality math instruction aligned across pre-K and kindergarten can provide a significant boost to children from low-income families, and close the achievement gap with their higher-income peers, according to a new study published by education and social policy research organization MDRC. The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Education program supported both the implementation and evaluation of the two aligned interventions that are the subject of this article.

Effort Underway for Accurate 2020 Census Count in San Jose
KTVU, March 8, 2018
The City of San Jose is launching a new text-messaging program to ensure that people living in unconventional housing, such as converted garages, are counted in the upcoming 2020 national census. Without such outreach, the potential of undercounting minorities, low-income individuals, and other populations could leave millions of federal dollars on the table. The Foundation’s Community and Opportunity program supported the pilot project in San Jose that led to this new initiative.

If you’re a current grantee of the Foundation and would like to be featured in our “Making Headlines” series, please send us a note: [email protected].