Physics Today: Foundation Director on the Draw of Science Philanthropy Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 11/30/2017 on 11/30/2017 “Sleuthing for potentially brilliant research ideas to fund turns out to be a fun cultural shift after a decades-long lab career.” In its regular question-and-answer series with leaders in the world of physics, Physics Today, the magazine of the American Institute of Physics, spent time with Cyndi Atherton, program director for science at the Heising-Simons …
Preventing Firearm Violence Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 10/30/2017 on 10/30/2017 Dr. Wintemute is a UC Davis emergency room physician who has been researching gun violence for the past three decades. He leads the University of California Firearm Violence Prevention Research Center (FVRC), the only state-funded research center of its kind in the United States. The Foundation’s Local and Emerging Opportunities program has supported the U.C. Davis Violence Prevention Research Program (VPRP), where FVRC is located.
Discovery Opens New Paths for Astronomy Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 10/16/2017 on 10/16/2017 Among the thousands of scientists involved in the discovery of the merger of two neutron stars is a team led by astronomer Ryan Foley at UC Santa Cruz. With support from the Heising-Simons Foundation, Foley’s team captured the first images of the event in a galaxy 130 million light-years away utilizing the 1-meter Swope Telescope at the Carnegie Institution’s Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.
Taking on Gender Disparities in Physics and Astronomy Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 9/26/2017 on 9/26/2017 Inside Philanthropy explores the “disturbing decline” of female physics and astronomy students who are on the path from students to professionals in those fields, and what the Heising-Simons Foundation is doing to try “to turn around some of these troubling stats in laboratories and academic departments.” The goal of the Foundation’s women in physics and …
On the Fair Treatment of Women in Science Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 9/20/2017 on 9/20/2017 The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program is committed to addressing gender imbalances and inequities in the fields of physics and astronomy, both in colleges and in academic and research careers in the United States. One of our closest thought partners in this work has been UC Berkley’s Chancellor Emeritus and Silverman professor of physics Robert Birgeneau, who recently co-wrote a letter about this subject in the September 2017 Science magazine issue.
Statement Regarding DACA Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 9/6/2017 on 9/6/2017 Today, the Heising-Simons Foundation joined 14 other California foundations in a joint CEO statement denouncing President Trump’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. We object to the President’s shameful decision in the strongest terms— and we stand in support of, and in solidarity with, the many nonprofit organizations we fund throughout the country that work to support these young people.
News Regarding Money Bail Reform in California Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 9/1/2017 on 9/1/2017 California Governor Jerry Brown and Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye have joined legislative leaders to support looking at reforms in California’s money bail system in 2018. In a statement, Gov. Brown said, “I believe that inequities exist in California’s bail system and I look forward to working this fall on ways to reform the system in …
Message Regarding Charlottesville Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 8/18/2017 on 8/18/2017 We are saddened, angered, and horrified by the sentiment and actions in Charlottesville this week, as we know all of you are too. Hatred has no place in our society.
Firearm Violence Research Center Launches at UC Davis Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 7/24/2017 on 7/24/2017 The Firearm Violence Research Center (FVRC) at UC Davis launched earlier this month with the goal of conducting research and policy development on firearm violence, and on the connections between violence, substance abuse, and mental illness.