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Carnegie Institution for Science
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<h2 id="name">Name</h2> <p>More than 20 independent organizations were established through the philanthropy of <a href="/facts/Andrew_Carnegie/rUwABKWN">Andrew Carnegie</a> and feature his surname. </p><p>In 2024, the "Carnegie Institution for Science" officially adopted the name "Carnegie Science", a name which has been used informally since 2007 when they first changed the name from "Carnegie Institution of Washington" to "Carnegie Institution for Science". </p> <h2 id="history">History</h2> <blockquote> <p>It is proposed to found in the city of Washington, an institution which ... shall in the broadest and most liberal manner encourage investigation, research, and discovery [and] show the application of knowledge to the improvement of mankind. </p><p>—<a href="/facts/Andrew_Carnegie/rUwABKWN">Andrew Carnegie</a>, January 28, 1902<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> </blockquote> <p>When the United States joined World War II, <a href="/facts/Vannevar_Bush/F12rLyGQ">Vannevar Bush</a> was president of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Several months prior to June 12, 1940, Bush persuaded <a href="/facts/President_of_the_United_States/oMsfmLb1">President</a> <a href="/facts/Franklin_D._Roosevelt/HtG9vMQv">Franklin Roosevelt</a> to create the <a href="/facts/National_Defense_Research_Committee/Rsxm9jC7">National Defense Research Committee</a> (later superseded by the <a href="/facts/Office_of_Scientific_Research_and_Development/P5QfcseT">Office of Scientific Research and Development</a>) to coordinate the nation's scientific war effort. Bush housed the new agency in the Carnegie Institution's administrative headquarters at 16th and P Streets, Northwest, in <a href="/facts/Washington%2c_D.C./enXPK156">Washington, D.C.</a>, converting its rotunda and auditorium into office cubicles. From this location, Bush supervised multiple projects, including the <a href="/facts/Manhattan_Project/gtg8yRK2">Manhattan Project</a>. Carnegie scientists assisted with the development of the <a href="/facts/Proximity_fuze/hoHLIJxR">proximity fuze</a> and mass production of <a href="/facts/Penicillin/Abo8VQ3p">penicillin</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>: 77–79 </p> <h2 id="research">Research</h2> <p><a href="/facts/John_Mulchaey/1aEV0T5j">John Mulchaey</a>, an American <a href="/facts/Astrophysicist/krFPRWLA">astrophysicist</a>, is the institution's 12th president.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> Carnegie Science is composed of three scientific divisions on the <a href="/facts/East_Coast_of_the_United_States/vrKUc0Wl">East</a> and <a href="/facts/West_Coast_of_the_United_States/I4cXGCq0">West Coasts</a> that center on life and environmental science, Earth and planetary science, and astronomy and astrophysics. Additionally, Carnegie Science manages the <a href="/facts/Las_Campanas_Observatory/6F9vgR2t">Las Campanas Observatory</a> in Chile. </p> <h3>Life and Environmental Sciences</h3><p> Among its notable staff members are <a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize/3z1Y3oFL">Nobel laureates</a> <a href="/facts/Andrew_Fire/h9VmgRjr">Andrew Fire</a>, <a href="/facts/Alfred_Hershey/lAEvkfBe">Alfred Hershey</a>, and <a href="/facts/Barbara_McClintock/aupcEqKv">Barbara McClintock</a>.</p><p>In addition to the Department of <a href="/facts/Embryology/4mvpSkhC">Embryology</a>, BioEYES is located at the <a href="/facts/University_of_Pennsylvania/LBBBULox">University of Pennsylvania</a> in <a href="/facts/Philadelphia/2bFFCCTU">Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a>; <a href="/facts/Monash_University/1wcLcSGe">Monash University</a> in <a href="/facts/Melbourne/EHY9YxI0">Melbourne, Australia</a>; the <a href="/facts/University_of_Utah/0lhlnv7c">University of Utah</a> in <a href="/facts/Salt_Lake_City/vDHXskTN">Salt Lake City, Utah</a>; and the <a href="/facts/University_of_Notre_Dame/oplPM5R2">University of Notre Dame</a> in <a href="/facts/South_Bend%2c_Indiana/V4aTIqPL">South Bend, Indiana</a>. The Department of Global Ecology was established in 2002.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>The Department of Plant Biology began as a desert laboratory in 1903 to study plants in their natural habitats. Over time, the research evolved to the study of <a href="/facts/Photosynthesis/TMV7w693">photosynthesis</a>. The department develops <a href="/facts/Bioinformatics/D5x2L8ee">bioinformatics</a>. </p> <h3>Space studies</h3> <p>The Observatories were founded in 1904 as the <a href="/facts/Mount_Wilson_Observatory/pYrLP2uH">Mount Wilson Observatory</a>. Carnegie astronomers operate from offices in Pasadena and from the <a href="/facts/Las_Campanas_Observatory/6F9vgR2t">Las Campanas Observatory</a> established in 1969. As Los Angeles encroached more on <a href="/facts/Mount_Wilson_(California)/PlV5vEHF">Mount Wilson</a>, day-to-day operations there were transferred to the Mount Wilson Institute in 1986. The newest additions at Las Campanas was a twin 6.5-meter reflectors.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>In 2020, the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism and Geophysical Lab merged to become the Earth and Planets Laboratory, located on the organization's Broad Branch Road campus in Washington. The Laboratory is a member of the <a href="/facts/NASA_Astrobiology_Institute/q7p8PpkM">NASA Astrobiology Institute</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The Department of Terrestrial Magnetism was founded in 1904 and used two ships for <a href="/facts/Magnetism/eo75vApl">magnetic observations</a> around the world: the <i><a href="/facts/Galilee_(ship)/kAJEg9BT">Galilee</a></i> was chartered in 1905, but it was unsuitable; later, <i><a href="/facts/Carnegie_(yacht)/S42XhefM">Carnegie</a></i> was built in 1909 and completed seven cruises to measure the <a href="/facts/Earth%2527s_magnetic_field/73G36wmx">Earth's magnetic field</a> before it suffered an explosion and burned.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a>: 133–136 </p> <h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>In 1920, the <a href="/facts/Eugenics_Record_Office/CWwxPUlo">Eugenics Record Office</a>, founded by <a href="/facts/Charles_Davenport/dX3eoBlT">Charles Davenport</a> in 1910 in <a href="/facts/Cold_Spring_Harbor%2c_New_York/Iqu6DGhJ">Cold Spring Harbor, New York</a>, was merged with the Station for Experimental Evolution to become the Carnegie Institution's Department of Genetics. The Institution funded that laboratory until 1939; it employed <a href="/facts/Morris_Steggerda/PwwVKCrq">Morris Steggerda</a>, an American <a href="/facts/Anthropologist/CboLlQq5">anthropologist</a> who has collaborated with Davenport. The Carnegie Institution closed the department in 1944. The department's records were retained in a university library. </p> <h2 id="carnegie-academy-for-science-education-and-first-light">Carnegie Academy for Science Education and First Light</h2> <p>In 1989, Carnegie President <a href="/facts/Maxine_Singer/WVrSReb6">Maxine Singer</a> founded Carnegie Academy for Science Education and First Light (CASE), a free Saturday science program for middle school students. The program teaches <a href="/facts/Experiential_learning/pY6Tj9Ev">hands-on learning</a> in science. </p> <h2 id="administration">Administration</h2> <p><a href="/facts/Administration_Building%2c_Carnegie_Institution_of_Washington/nwp0e1Hv">The Carnegie Institution's administrative offices</a> were located at 1530 P St., Northwest, Washington, D.C., at the corner of 16th and P Streets until 2020. The building housed the offices of the president, administration and finance, publications, and advancement. In 2020, the administrative building was sold to the government of <a href="/facts/Qatar/K4EkNXJE">Qatar</a> to be used as its embassy.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="partnerships">Partnerships</h2> <p>Carnegie Science and <a href="/facts/Caltech/3FPcp7BL">Caltech</a> formalized a partnership in <a href="/facts/Pasadena%2c_California/Y6AEEI03">Pasadena</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The Carnegie Institution partnered with several other organizations in constructing the <a href="/facts/Giant_Magellan_Telescope/A1g7gz9P">Giant Magellan Telescope</a>. </p> <h2 id="presidents">Presidents</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Daniel_Coit_Gilman/YJMjLKWM">Daniel Coit Gilman</a> (1902–1904)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Robert_S._Woodward/WbT2hKFE">Robert S. Woodward</a> (1904–1920)</li> <li><a href="/facts/John_C._Merriam/995NlBwA">John C. Merriam</a> (1921–1938)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Vannevar_Bush/F12rLyGQ">Vannevar Bush</a> (1939–1955)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Caryl_Parker_Haskins/sW8CScFz">Caryl P. Haskins</a> (1956–1971)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Philip_Abelson/vwN9SaGK">Philip Abelson</a> (1971–1978)</li> <li><a href="/facts/James_D._Ebert/lQRBGzKK">James D. Ebert</a> (1978–1987)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Edward_E._David%2c_Jr./PTzxcGKx">Edward E. David, Jr.</a> (Acting President, 1987–1988)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Maxine_F._Singer/WVrSReb6">Maxine F. Singer</a> (1989–2002)</li> <li>Michael E. Gellert (Acting President, January – April 2003)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Richard_Meserve/3xSs2rYo">Richard Meserve</a> (April 2003 – September 2014)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Matthew_P._Scott/VfX1lTrF">Matthew P. Scott</a> (September 1, 2014 – December 31, 2017)</li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Mulchaey/1aEV0T5j">John Mulchaey</a> and Yixian Zheng (Interim Co-Presidents, January 1, 2018 – June 30, 2018)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Eric_Isaacs/7TqzFaEL">Eric D. Isaacs</a> (July 2, 2018 – 2024)</li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Mulchaey/1aEV0T5j">John Mulchaey</a> (2024 – present)</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Kurt_Adelberger/lkofUYz0">Kurt Adelberger</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <a href="/facts/Wikisource/TrMdylNf">Wikisource</a> has the text of the 1920 <i><a href="/facts/Encyclopedia_Americana/rsmEnQT5">Encyclopedia Americana</a></i> article <i>Carnegie Institution of Washington</i>. <ul><li><a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/">Official website</a></li> <li><a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/mb?a=listis&c=974859177">20th century publications of the Carnegie Institution for Science</a>, from <a href="/facts/HathiTrust/E83jjlSF">HathiTrust</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Heritage_Documentation_Programs/0qPMrv7e">Historic American Engineering Record</a> (HAER) No. DC-52-A, "<a href="https://loc.gov/pictures/item/dc0931/">Carnegie Institute of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Standardizing Magnetic Observatory</a>"</li> <li>HAER No. DC-52-B, "<a href="https://loc.gov/pictures/item/dc0932/">Carnegie Institute of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Brass Foundry</a>"</li> <li>HAER No. DC-52-C, "<a href="https://loc.gov/pictures/item/dc0933/">Carnegie Institute of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Atomic Physics Observatory</a>"</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 19, 2021. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2021. <a href="https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx" target="_blank">https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Flipbook". Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2019. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210204131855/https://carnegiescience.edu/sites/default/files/flipbook/yearbook_2018/?page=68" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20210204131855/https://carnegiescience.edu/sites/default/files/flipbook/yearbook_2018/?page=68</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Our Leadership". carnegiescience.edu. November 22, 2024. Retrieved December 16, 2024. <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/about/leadership" target="_blank">https://carnegiescience.edu/about/leadership</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Mayo, Caswell A. (1902). American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record, Vol. 40. American Druggist Publishing Co. p. 2. ISBN 9780266728825. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) <a href="9780266728825" target="_blank">9780266728825</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Trefil, James; Hazen, Margaret Hindle; Trefil, James S. (2002). Good seeing: a century of science at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1902 - 2002. Washington, D.C.: Joseph Henry Press. ISBN 978-0-309-08261-7. <a href="978-0-309-08261-7" target="_blank">978-0-309-08261-7</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Science, Carnegie (November 10, 2014). "John Mulchaey – Director". Carnegie Institution for Science. Retrieved January 9, 2020. <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/scientist/john-mulchaey" target="_blank">https://carnegiescience.edu/scientist/john-mulchaey</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Chris Field: A Man for All Climates". Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. <a href="https://earth.stanford.edu/news/chris-field-man-every-climate" target="_blank">https://earth.stanford.edu/news/chris-field-man-every-climate</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"History". The Carnegie Observatories. Archived from the original on July 26, 2016. <a href="https://obs.carnegiescience.edu/about/history" target="_blank">https://obs.carnegiescience.edu/about/history</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Carnegie Institution of Washington. NAI Can 3 Teams". NASA Astrobiology Institute. June 5, 2020. Archived from the original on September 22, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024. <a href="https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/teams/can-3/index.html" target="_blank">https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/teams/can-3/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Trefil, James; Hazen, Margaret Hindle; Trefil, James S. (2002). Good seeing: a century of science at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1902 - 2002. Washington, D.C.: Joseph Henry Press. ISBN 978-0-309-08261-7. <a href="978-0-309-08261-7" target="_blank">978-0-309-08261-7</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Wadman, Meredith (April 16, 2021). "Uproar over sale of iconic Carnegie institution headquarters to Qatar exposes deeper tensions". Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/uproar-over-sale-iconic-carnegie-institution-headquarters-qatar-exposes-deeper-tensions" target="_blank">https://www.science.org/content/article/uproar-over-sale-iconic-carnegie-institution-headquarters-qatar-exposes-deeper-tensions</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"Caltech and Carnegie Science Announce Partnership to Advance Life, Environmental Sciences Research". California Institute of Technology. July 19, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2024. <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-and-carnegie-science-announce-partnership" target="_blank">https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-and-carnegie-science-announce-partnership</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>