One of the recommendations for strengthening democracy proposed in Our Common Purpose - the report of a bipartisan Academy commission - is expanding national service. To support that initiative, the Academy partnered with organizational leaders in the national service field to develop a better understanding of why people serve and how to increase engagement. This article shares key findings from that effort.

The Academy, in conjunction with a consortium of national humanities organizations, will create a prototype set of indicators – statistical data about the people who work in the humanities and about the work they do – to provide a comprehensive picture of the state of the humanities in the United States, from primary to higher education to public humanities activities.

Robert H. Frank writes for the New York Times about income inequality and the justice gap, based on his longer essay in Daedalus issue on "Access to Justice."

The American Academy will brief the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) on the Academy’s ARISE II project.

The U.S. must bolster the competitiveness of its commercial space industry, expand international cooperation, and refocus on basic science in order to hold on to its traditional leadership position in space, according to the authors of a new paper from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In his keynote address, Academy President Jonathan Fanton emphasized the need for colleges and universities to do more to spread awareness about the positive impact of language and area studies.

Erica Kimmerling, former Hellman Fellow for Science and Technology Policy at the American Academy, explores how to break down silos between science engagement professionals, citing the Academy report on Encountering Science in America.

Working with the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), the Academy convened college and university presidents and leaders of scholarly societies. Together, they developed and supported a unified defense of learning and higher education. More than 650 leaders signed the statement on behalf of their students, faculty, staff, and communities.

The Humanities Indicators, a project of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, is a nationally recognized source of nonpartisan information about the humanities. The Indicators are available to the public. The information provided is used by journalists and decision-makers to understand and convey the state of the humanities for a range of audiences and purposes—including an array of examples compiled here.

Working with the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) , the Academy convened college and university presidents and leaders of scholarly societies to develop and support a statement in defense of learning and higher education.

Danielle S. Allen and Stephen B. Heintz, cochairs of the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, presented strategies to strengthen civic engagement at a virtual panel co-hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School.

A new and timely report, America and the Future of International Science, presents the case for robust U.S. support for and participation in international scientific collaborations.

A new book from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, examines the impact of providing high-quality education to every child in the world between the ages of 6 and 16.

Fiscal 2011 Budget Calls for Partnership with American Academy to Sustain a Robust Humanities Data Infrastructure

The Academy holds virtual events as well as in-person events around the country and the world that bring members, representatives of the Affiliates, and others together to explore topics of national and global concern.

Academy member Judith Butler discusses the Humanities Indicators’ survey on the humanities in American life, concluding that the future of the humanities may well depend on realizing that the best case for art, poetry, literature, and performance is already being made by our most publicly engaged fields.

The Academy’s strategic priorities include improving the impact of the Academy’s work and raising the visibility of the institution with external audiences. These audiences vary and have included policymakers at the federal, state, and local level; leaders in philanthropy, higher education, nonprofit organizations, and business; scholars and students; advocacy groups; professional groups and practitioners; and the public.

Microsoft Research Corporate VP Wing calls for implementation of Academy recommendations for long-term sustainability of U.S. science & engineering research enterprise