2024 Philanthropy Report
The Hertz Foundation's 2024 Philanthropy Report celebrates the incredible impact of our generous supporters, the state of philanthropy at the Hertz Foundation and what is possible when our community invests in scientific and technological innovation that strengthens the nation.
For more information, contact: Wendy Connors, Vice President, at wconnors@hertzfoundation.org.
Inside this Edition
We can’t predict the future, but we can absolutely identify and support the right people to lead us there.
From human health to artificial intelligence, from climate change to the next space race, Hertz Fellows are uniquely prepared to provide the scientific leadership that our nation needs—now perhaps more than ever. That’s why we’ve taken bold steps this year to expand our impact:
- Increasing the number of fellows we support, selecting 18 fellows from a pool of 862 applicants;
- Enhancing the fellowship experience through individualized mentorship, networking and professional development, and another successful Summer Workshop, this year at Mont-Tremblant;
- Diversifying candidate pipelines and forging alliances with like-minded organizations, inspired by our relationships with valued partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
More than 60 years ago, John and Fannie Hertz saw an urgent need to invest in U.S. technology and security. Over the decades, their investment has produced world-changing innovations. Today, we honor their legacy by deepening our commitment to empowering the nation’s most promising innovators in science and technology.
Your generous support makes this work possible. Thank you for joining us as we make history together.
Stephen Fantone
Chair, Hertz Board of Directors
Founder and President, Optikos Corp.
Robbee Baker Kosak
President, Hertz Foundation
David Cannell is leaving his legacy by endowing the David and Louise Cannell Fellowship.
By the time you read this—or any article about artificial intelligence—it’ll be out of date. AI is advancing that rapidly. Dario Amodei, co-founder and CEO at Anthropic, is working to keep pace.
From the Hertz Foundation's first board of directors to today’s mentors and summer workshop organizers, volunteers have helped define the Hertz Fellowship experience. One characteristic they’ve all shared is a deep commitment to the Hertz Foundation’s success.
“Once a Hertz Fellow, always a Hertz Fellow” sums up the extraordinary lifelong support and involvement that is a hallmark of the Hertz Fellowship.
Accelerating Entrepreneurs and Innovators through Science Philanthropy
Science philanthropy, enabled by the generous contributions of our donors and volunteers, helped Hertz Fellows establish companies and develop new technologies with real-world impact.
A Vibrant Gathering of Minds
In the summer of 2024, two flagship events — the annual Hertz Summer Workshop and the inaugural Hertz Topical Forum — offered fresh opportunities for research collaborations and exchange of ideas.
Gifts to the Hertz Foundation provide us with the necessary funds to do what we do best — identify and cultivate the next generation of scientists, leaders, disruptors, and creators who have the potential to transform our world in ways that few others can. Give to the Hertz Foundation today!
- Why Hertz?
- Why Now?
- Join Us
The Hertz Foundation is proud to be recognized with the highest rating from two of the world's top sources of information and evaluation on nonprofit organizations, indicating that donors can give with confidence knowing that their gifts will contribute meaningfully to the success of our mission.
Consistent annual giving is essential to achieving our mission. Thanks to gifts of all sizes from Hertz Fellows, parents and friends, important initiatives such as Hertz Fellowship programming, community activities and enhanced applicant diversity are supported from a flexible pool of funds.
Fundraising Overview
This past fiscal year, the Hertz Foundation experienced another strong fundraising year, raising $7.64 million from 367 fellows, organizations, and other friends, including 41 new donors. This marked upward growth with a $1.7 million increase in fundraising efforts from the prior fiscal year, an expanded donor base, and renewed momentum in donor participation.
Investment Strategy and Results
The Hertz Foundation’s assets continue to grow, positioning us to raise more funds and make an even greater impact in the years to come. As treasurer of the Hertz Board of Directors, I remain cautiously optimistic about our robust financial management and the strength of our fundraising program.
These 18 remarkable doctoral students demonstrate extraordinary potential to become foremost leaders in their fields and tackle the most pressing challenges facing the nation and the world.
A snapshot of Hertz Fellows’ recent awards and recognition from leading science and technology organizations.
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Sloan Research Fellow
Zhou Fan
Daniel Lecoanet
American Meteorological Society
Editor’s Award, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
Eric Firing
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
R. Tom Sawyer Award
Kenneth C. Hall
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation
Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship
Alexandra C. Brown
ASM International
Albert Easton White Distinguished Teacher
George M. Pharr
AZ Business Magazine
Champions of Change Finalist
Innovative Leader of the Year
Karl U. Schultz
Case Alumni Association, Inc.
Samuel Givelber 1923 Fellowship Award
Lee A. Swanger
Citadel Global Quantitive Strategies
GQS PhD Fellowship
Allen Liu
City & State New York
100 Trailblazers in Higher Ed
Emma J. Pierson
Forbes Israel
Forbes “30 Under 30”
Liyam Chitayat
Franco-American Fulbright Commission
Fulbright-Tocqueville Distinguished Chair Award
Mikhail G. Shapiro
German Society for Materials Science
Heyn Commemorative Medal
George M. Pharr
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
HHMI Investigator
Dmitriy Aronov
IDSO Affiliate
Institute for Data Science In Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Stephanie Schmidt
International Society for Optics and Photonics
G.G. Stokes Award in Optical Polarization
Curtis R. Menyuk
Japan Prize Foundation
Japan Prize
John M. Wallace
National Academy of Sciences
Elected Member
Kenneth S. Suslick
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Soros Fellow
Zijian (William) Niu
Puget Sound Business Journal
40 Under 40
Max Mankin
Schmidt Sciences
AI2050 Fellow
Emma J. Pierson
The Cyber Security Hall of Fame
Cyber Security Hall of Fame Inductee
Paul D. Nielsen
James Roskind
Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation
Siebel Scholar
Bailey Flanigan
TIME Magazine
100 Most Influential Companies in the World & 100 Leaders in AI
Dario Amodei
University of Maryland
Kirwan Faculty Research and Scholarship Prize
Andrew M. Childs
Urology Care Foundation
AUA Mid-Atlantic Section William D. Steers, MD Award
Maya R. Overland
