Carnegie Institution for Science

Name

More than 20 independent organizations were established through the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie and feature his surname.

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".

History

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.

—Andrew Carnegie, January 28, 1902

When the United States joined World War II, Vannevar Bush was president of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Several months prior to June 12, 1940, Bush persuaded President Franklin Roosevelt to create the National Defense Research Committee (later superseded by the Office of Scientific Research and Development) to coordinate the nation's scientific war effort.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 Washington, D.C., converting its rotunda and auditorium into office cubicles. From this location, Bush supervised multiple projects, including the Manhattan Project. Carnegie scientists assisted with the development of the proximity fuze and mass production of penicillin.

Research

John Mulchaey, an American astronomer and astrophysicist, is the institution's 12th president. Carnegie Science is composed of three scientific divisions on the East and West Coasts that center on life and environmental science, Earth and planetary science, and astronomy and astrophysics: Biosphere Sciences & Engineering, Earth & Planets Laboratory, and Observatories. In addition to facilities in the United States, Carnegie Science manages the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

Life and Environmental Sciences

Astronomy & Astrophysics{{anchor|observatories}}

The Carnegie Science Observatories were founded in 1904 as the Mount Wilson Observatory. Andrew Carnegie funded the historic Hooker 100-inch telescope envisioned by George Ellery Hale on which Edwin Hubble captured the famous “VAR!” plate that led to the discovery of Andromeda. As Los Angeles encroached more on Mount Wilson, day-to-day operations there were transferred to the Mount Wilson Institute in 1986. Today, Carnegie astronomers operate from offices in Pasadena and from the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile’s Atacama region established in 1969. The Las Campanas Observatory is home to the twin 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes, 2.5-meter Irénée du Pont telescope, and 1.0-meter Swope telescope.

Earth & Planetary Science{{anchor|observatories}}

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 NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Department of Terrestrial Magnetism was founded in 1904 and used two ships for magnetic observations around the world: the Galilee was chartered in 1905, but it was unsuitable; later, Carnegie was built in 1909 and completed seven cruises to measure the Earth's magnetic field before it suffered an explosion and burned.

History

In 1920, the Eugenics Record Office, founded by Charles Davenport in 1910 in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 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 Morris Steggerda, an American anthropologist who has collaborated with Davenport. The Carnegie Institution closed the department in 1944. The department's records were retained in a university library.

Carnegie Academy for Science Education and First Light

In 1989, Carnegie President Maxine Singer founded Carnegie Academy for Science Education and First Light (CASE), a free Saturday science program for middle school students. The program teaches hands-on learning in science.

Administration

The Carnegie Institution's administrative offices 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 Qatar to be used as its embassy.

Partnerships

Carnegie Science and Caltech formalized a partnership in Pasadena. The Carnegie Institution has partnered with several other organizations in constructing the Giant Magellan Telescope.

Presidents

The following persons had served as president of the Carnegie Institution for Science:

References

References

1. "Flipbook".
2. (February 19, 2021). "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20". National Association of College and University Business Officers and [[TIAA]].
3. (2024-11-22). "Our Leadership".
4. Mayo, Caswell A.. (2018). "American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record, Vol. 40". American Druggist Publishing Co..
5. (2002). "Good seeing: a century of science at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1902 - 2002". Joseph Henry Press.
6. Science, Carnegie. (2014-11-10). "John Mulchaey – Director".
7. "Our Divisions".
8. "Biosphere Sciences & Engineering".
9. "Hubble's Famous M31 VAR! Plate".
10. "Mount Wilson Observatory | Our History".
11. "Las Campanas Observatory – las Campanas Observatory".
12. "History".
13. (June 5, 2020). "Carnegie Institution of Washington. NAI Can 3 Teams.".
14. Wadman, Meredith. (16 April 2021). "Uproar over sale of iconic Carnegie institution headquarters to Qatar exposes deeper tensions".
15. (2023-07-19). "Caltech and Carnegie Science Announce Partnership to Advance Life, Environmental Sciences Research".
16. "Carnegie Institution of Washington Administration Records, 1890-2003". Carnegie Science.
17. (Summer 2014). "Dr. Matthew P. Scott Named 10th President of the Carnegie Institution for Science".
18. (November 3, 2017). "Carnegie Institution for Science Announces Retirement of President". Carnegie Science.
19. (December 22, 2017). "John Mulchaey and Yixian Zheng named interim co-presidents". Carnegie Science.
20. (July 2, 2018). "Eric Isaacs Named 11th President of the Carnegie Institution for Science". Carnegie Science.
21. (October 3, 2024). "Carnegie Science Announces Leadership Transition as President Eric Isaacs Steps Down". Carnegie Science.
22. (November 22, 2024). "Carnegie Science appoints John Mulchaey as its 12th President". Carnegie Science.