Select Upcoming Events

As I reflect on my first year as president of the Academy, I am struck by how our members came together in so many different ways to address such a broad range of challenges, including unprecedented threats to academic freedom, the research enterprise, and the rule of law. And while it was a year of great challenges, there were also moments of great hope. For me, top among those moments was the Induction of our 2025 class of new members here in Cambridge in October.

In 2015, the Academy established The Exploratory Fund to support Members who wish to look over the horizon for issues and opportunities not well understood, to think of problems in a fresh way, and to search for connections between research and policy that advance the common good.

In this Washington Post column, Danielle Allen - who cochaired the Academy's Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship - proposes that Supreme Court justices "take it upon themselves" to establish term limits, which is a modified approach to a recommendation in the Our Common Purpose report.

The Academy’s record of distinction in Science, Engineering, and Technology dates to its founding mission “to cultivate every art and science which may tend to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.” Rather than generate new scientific research, the role of the Academy has been uniquely interdisciplinary, bridging the social sciences and arts with the physical sciences to support a national understanding, belief, and trust in science and discovery. Perhaps no better example of this can be found than in the mid-1800s when the Academy hosted hotly contested debates about a new scientific theory: the theory of evolution.

There are several ways members may be involved in the life and work of the Academy.

Journalists seeking background information on yesterday’s report of the reported test of a Chinese anti-satellite weapon are encouraged to consult Academy resources from the Reconsidering the Rules of Space project.

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences has released a publication designed to help colleges and universities address a defining academic and societal challenge: preparing young people today with the knowledge, skills, and habits to sustain a healthy constitutional democracy. Preparing Students for Civic Life: A Guide for Higher Education Leaders includes strategies and case studies.

A brief update on the Academy’s actions and activities during the COVID-19 outbreak, including adjustments that have been made to our operations to help ensure the safety of members and staff.

In recognition of his philanthropy and dedication to public service, business leader and entrepreneur Morton L. Mandel is presented with the Academy’s Scholar-Patriot Award.

From the Archives

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will discuss current challenges faced by the federal and state courts in a climate of heightened partisanship, expensive election campaigns, and attacks on judicial independence.

A bipartisan commission issues 31 recommendations to strengthen America’s institutions and civic culture to help a nation in crisis emerge with a stronger democracy.

Academy Vice President John Thornton Kirkland delivered “A Discourse in Commemoration of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson” before the society on October 30, 1826. Adams was a charter member of the Academy and served as its second President; Jefferson was elected in 1787...