Human Rights as Our Common Compass: Celebrating International Human Rights Day 2025 Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 12/18/2025 on 12/18/2025 Each year on December 10, human rights leaders, advocates, and champions worldwide celebrate International Human Rights Day, honoring the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. To commemorate the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in San Francisco, California, the Heising-Simons Foundation …
[Press Release] Heising-Simons Foundation Hosts Global Leaders at Annual International Human Rights Day Convening Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 12/11/2025 on 12/11/2025 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and Human Rights Trailblazers Call on Shared Human Rights Values as Moral Compass to Navigate Current Challenges FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SAN FRANCISCO (December 11, 2025) — On December 10, more than 300 global leaders, human rights advocates, and philanthropic partners gathered in San Francisco for the Heising-Simons Foundation’s International Human Rights …
Inspiring Joy and Curiosity in Early Math Learning Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 11/14/2025 on 11/14/2025 Math is all around us. It hides in plain sight: in zebra stripes and kitchen measuring cups, in counting snacks and in “number hunts” at the grocery store. Mathematics, however, is more than numbers and counting. It is also shapes, patterns, and positions. With support from the Heising-Simons Foundation’s Education program, over the past decade …
A Love Letter to Early Childhood Educators: Q&A with MAKE A CIRCLE Documentary Filmmakers Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 10/29/2025 on 10/29/2025 Writer and filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat, a 2022 recipient of the Heising-Simons Foundation’s American Mosaic Journalism Prize, has achieved a historic recognition with his debut documentary film, “Sugarcane.” In addition to many industry accolades, the National Geographic documentary has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, making Mr. NoiseCat the first Indigenous North American to receive this honor.
Groundbreaking Research Collaboration Will Reveal Science of Fog Dynamics and Interactions Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 10/14/2025 on 10/14/2025 The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program has awarded approximately $3.7 million over five years to support a multi-university research project that will uncover crucial insights into fog dynamics, water resources, and impacts resulting from future changes to fog composition in the Pacific Coast. One of the Science program’s core areas of funding is dedicated to supporting …
Heising-Simons Foundation Appoints Brian Eule as President and Chief Executive Officer Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 9/17/2025 on 9/17/2025 Seasoned philanthropic executive and FRONTLINE Managing Director returns to lead family foundation advancing early education, science, climate and clean energy, human rights, journalism. Los Altos, Calif. (September 17, 2025) — The Board of Directors of the Heising-Simons Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Eule as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January …
Beyond Funding: How the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship Provides Transformational Support to Researchers in Planetary Astronomy Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 7/10/2025 on 7/10/2025 “By far, [the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship is] the best thing that’s ever happened to me professionally…It launched my career.” Peter Gao, 51 Pegasi b fellowship alumnus Astronomer Peter Gao specializes in the atmospheres of planets beyond our solar system. Much of his work is theoretical; he hypothesizes about planets that scientists know exist. Like …
“2024 State of Preschool” Report: Access and Quality Issues Linger Despite Record Enrollment and Investment Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 6/18/2025 on 6/18/2025 Publicly funded preschool provides children with vital educational opportunities at some of the most consequential stages in their cognitive and social development. While most U.S. states and the District of Columbia have state-funded preschool programs, a new report by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University finds that in 2024 preschool …
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Opens Access to the Largest 3D Map of the Universe Share By Heising-Simons Foundation on 5/7/2025 on 5/7/2025 For as long as humans have gazed at the sky, they have longed to attain a deeper understanding of our universe: When did it begin? How has it evolved? What are its properties? In March 2025, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) released the largest dataset of its kind, with information on 4 million stars, 13.1 million galaxies, and 1.6 million quasars. With this new data, DESI has achieved the remarkable feat of building the largest 3D map of our universe to date.