Friends of IHES is excited to welcome Marilyn and James Simons as new co-Presidents of Friends of IHES starting in January 2022, at the end of Michael R. Douglas’ mandate as President and Chairman.
Marilyn and James Simons are by far the Institute’s most important donors. Since the start of IHES’ fundraising efforts, at the beginning of the 2000s, they have encouraged the Institute to develop greater financial independence through its fundraising activity. Over the years, they have made several major gifts, amounting to more than 25m€ overall, both through the Simons Foundation and personally.
The mission of Friends of IHES is to increase the visibility of the Institute in the United States, to coordinate the network of current and former American visiting scholars, and to raise funds for IHES.
Through their continuous support, both to the research carried out at IHES and to the events that Friends of IHES organize in the United States, Marilyn and James Simons have been very precious allies to IHES and they have already played a paramount role in helping Friends of IHES accomplish their mission.
“Michael R. Douglas has been a fantastic chairman and thanks to him we can count on a much stronger and larger network of Friends and donors in the United States. With his mandate coming to an end, it is a great honor that Marilyn and Jim accepted to chair the Board of Directors and we are looking forward to the projects ahead.” – explained Emmanuel Ullmo, Director of IHES and a member ex officio of the Board of Friends of IHES.
Recently, the Simons Foundation has pledged another 25m€ to IHES, that they will donate over the next ten years. These funds will partly contribute to the Institute’s endowment (10m€), and partly to specific projects aiming to improve the Institute’s attractivity (15m€). These will include the creation of PhD studentships, postdoctoral fellowships, and prestigious junior positions and sabbaticals, that will help IHES attract the best researchers. These funds will also help IHES implement and develop projects in outreach, diversity and inclusion.