From the President
Since its founding in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has brought members together to examine new ideas, address issues of importance to the nation and the world, and “cultivate every art and science which may tend to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.” The Academy has always played an important role in advancing the best thinking available about pressing policy challenges and important scholarly questions.
As you will see in the pages that follow, the Academy is exploring a range of topics in science, global security, education, the arts, and society. One commission is examining how to prepare individuals in a diverse society to be active and engaged citizens. Another Academy project is exploring how to improve access to quality legal services for low-income Americans. The Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education is working to advance its recommendations to help ensure that all students receive the academic, social, emotional, and financial support that will enable them to complete successfully their college journey. Our project on Meeting the Challenges of the New Nuclear Age is working to articulate a new framework to keep the world safe from nuclear conflict. A new Commission on the Arts is exploring how to involve the arts and artists in helping to bridge divides within society. And the Academy’s Public Face of Science project is examining how the public builds trust in science and evidence. These studies draw upon the expertise of hundreds of our members from diverse professions and disciplines to advance the welfare of the nation and the world.
We are grateful to the many members who support the Academy’s projects, publications, and programs. This support allows the Academy to continue to elevate the use of evidence and knowledge, foster civil discourse, and advance the common good. I look forward to working with our members to ensure that the Academy continues to achieve these goals.
David W. Oxtoby