Science Program Director Dr. Cyndi Atherton Appointed to National Academies’ Climate Crossroads Advisory Committee August 3, 2023 Share Heising-Simons Foundation Science Program Director Dr. Cyndi Atherton has been appointed to the inaugural advisory committee of Climate Crossroads, a new climate initiative of grantee partner the National Academies. Climate Crossroads will focus on key pathways to tackle the climate crisis. “The National Academies are committed to marshaling the deep and broad expertise that this …
How Grantee WITNESS Builds Technological Capacity of Grassroots Groups to Increase Police Accountability August 1, 2023 Share Several years ago, while still a graduate student at MIT’s Media Lab, Joy Buolamwini began to notice a troubling pattern in facial recognition technology––an inability to detect a wide range of skin tones and facial structures, even in widely available systems employed by Big Tech, government agencies, and law enforcement.
Increasing Inequalities in Silicon Valley Highlighted in New Report by Grantee SJSU Human Rights Institute July 31, 2023 Share A new report by San José State University’s (SJSU) Human Rights Institute features data that highlights Silicon Valley’s persistent racial, employment, education, housing, and income/wealth inequality, as well as the astronomical concentration of wealth in the hands of a small number of households and companies. The fourth annual Silicon Valley Pain Index (SVPI) is a meta-analysis of …
Heising-Simons Foundation Funds Six Scientists Looking for Signatures of Life in the Universe July 14, 2023 Share The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program has made a suite of grants totaling $550,000 to support six exoplanet scientists working on projects that originated in a Scialog program entitled “Signatures of Life in the Universe,” convened by Research Corporation for Science Advancement.
Caitlin Heising Featured in Lifestyles Magazine July 13, 2023 Share Heising-Simons Foundation’s Vice Chair of the Board, Caitlin Heising, was interviewed recently by Lifestyles Magazine about her passion for human rights. Caitlin’s interview was featured on the cover of the magazine’s Summer 2023 edition, entitled “Philanthropy Next.” In the interview, Caitlin talks about her philosophy on philanthropy, the values her parents instilled in her as …
Q&A With Grantee MomsRising: What President Biden’s Executive Order Means for Child Care July 10, 2023 Share In April 2023, the Biden administration signed a historic Care Executive Order to expand access to affordable, high-quality care, and provide support for care workers and family caregivers. Notable provisions include directives to federal agencies to increase compensation for the early childhood workforce, increase subsidy reimbursement rates, strengthen benefits, and reduce family costs. It also …
Grantee Imara Jones Named One of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023 July 7, 2023 Share Imara Jones, award-winning journalist and founder of TransLash Media (TransLash), has been named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023. She joins the ranks of Brittney Griner, King Charles III, and Shannon Watts in the Icons category of TIME’s 2023 list. Imara spearheads the TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones, a bi-weekly podcast …
Science Program Director Cyndi Atherton to Moderate Climate Crossroads Summit Panel July 7, 2023 Share Science Program Director Dr. Cyndi Atherton will moderate the Pathways to Climate Action panel session at The National Academies’ Climate Crossroads Summit on July 11. The National Academies’ Climate Crossroads Summit will bring together leaders spanning the breadth of expertise for a vibrant discussion about how to catalyze action among a diverse range of stakeholders …
Heising-Simons Foundation Joins Philanthropic Funders in Response to Supreme Court’s Decision on Affirmative Action June 30, 2023 Share The Heising-Simons Foundation signed the following statement by funders and philanthropic organizations in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.