Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Letter From the Hertz Foundation President
Every December, I write to you on the eve of the new year. This year, however, I’m also writing to you on the eve of my retirement, after nearly 10 unforgettable years as Hertz Foundation president.
I’m so proud of the growth of the foundation over the past decade, from increasing the number of fellowships and enhancing the fellowship experience to building a strong financial position and elevating our national profile.
I’m grateful for all of the people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside, from our board, staff and partners to our donors and an exceptionally engaged and growing community of fellows.
And I’m moved by the vision of our founders, who in 1957 recognized the critical role of philanthropy in advancing science and technology, independent of traditional constraints and with the freedom to pursue bold ideas wherever they might lead.
But it’s the future I’m most excited about because Hertz Fellows are creating it. Throughout the year, we share highlights of groundbreaking Hertz-led work. Here are a few more examples:
- Kathleen Alexander (2013), co-founder and chief executive officer of Savor, is revolutionizing the production of fats, like butter, without negative climate impact; without the land and water use, animal suffering, and emissions of animal fats; and without the fuel deforestation and biodiversity loss of plant-based fat alternatives.
- Liyam Chitayat (2023), a doctoral candidate in computational systems biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earned her master’s in biomedical engineering and is now working on synthetic cells, advanced therapeutic modalities and biosecurity. She was recently named to the Forbes Israel 30 Under 30 list.
- James Wray (2006), planetary scientist and professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at Georgia Institute of Technology and collaborator on five Mars missions, just won a prestigious Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship to study interstellar objects and to conceptualize an intercept mission by spacecraft for the purposes of imaging.
- David Zhang (2006), scientist turned entrepreneur, is co-founder and CEO of Biostate AI, which is building individualized health AI trained with multi-omics to predict disease evolution and drug response and to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of biology, health care and AI.
Certainly, the nation and world have challenges ahead, some squarely before us and many still beyond our capacity to predict. But if you need a jolt of optimism, just look at the talent of Hertz Fellows at work today. And if you are looking for a sense of agency, why not invest in that talent?
I am convinced there is no more impactful, singular investment in the future of our nation’s science and technology leadership than the Hertz Foundation. Over the decades, the foundation’s approach has been refined and proven — from the timing of funding, to research independence, to lifelong support within an interdisciplinary community. And I have no doubt you’ll see that impact amplified in the coming years, under the leadership of incoming Hertz President Wendy Connors.
It’s been an honor and privilege to work with you all. Because of you, I can say this with confidence: The future will be extraordinary.
Happy holidays, and many happy new years to come.
Robbee Baker Kosak
President, Hertz Foundation