The Simons Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 by Marilyn and Jim Simons with offices in New York City.[2] As one of the largest charitable organizations in the US with assets of over $5 billion in 2022,[3] the foundation's mission is to advance the fronteirs of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. The foundation supports science by making grants to individual researchers and their projects.
In 2021, Marilyn Simons stepped down as president after 26 years at the helm, and astrophysicist David Spergel was appointed president.[4]
The Flatiron Institute
In 2016, the foundation launched the Flatiron Institute, its in-house multidisciplinary research institute focused on computational science.[5] The Flatiron Institute hosts centers for computational science in five areas:
Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA)
Center for Computational Biology (CCB)
Center for Computational Quantum Physics (CCQ)
Center for Computational Mathematics (CCM)
Center for Computational Neuroscience (CCN)
Funding Areas
The foundation makes grants in four program areas:[6][7]
Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS)
Life Sciences
Autism Research / Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)
Outreach, Education, and Engagement
Simons Investigators awardees
Among other programs, the Simons Foundation funds the Simons Investigators in MPS program[8] which provides a stable base of support for outstanding scientists, enabling them to undertake long-term study of fundamental questions.[9]
White House BRAIN Initiative Alliance membership
As of December 2018, the Simons Foundation is listed as a White House BRAIN Initiative Alliance Member.[10]
The Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) is working to understand the internal processes underlying cognition.[11]
Spectrum
In 2008, the Simons Foundation website started a News & Opinion section called 'Spectrum'. This section evolved into an independent website in 2015 on spectrumnews.org. The funding for this editorially independent website still comes from the Simons Foundation.[12]
