FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Palo Alto, California – The Science Philanthropy Alliance has appointed Shirley Tilghman as senior science advisor.
Shirley Tilghman, Ph.D. brings with her a long career as a molecular biologist and University administrator. A champion of the importance of scientific discovery and its positive impact on the quality of life and wellbeing for people around the world, she is responsible for groundbreaking discoveries in genetics.
Dr. Tilghman was the 19th president of Princeton University, the first woman and the first biologist to hold the position. Prior to becoming President, Tilghman was founding director of Princeton’s Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, promoting collaboration across scientific disciplines. She helped launch the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment and the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science. Dr. Tilghman is also known for her national leadership in advancing the careers of women in science and engineering, serving as a role model and mentor. She was a founding member of the National Institute of Health’s National Advisory Council of the Human Genome Project, as well as a member of the committee charged with designing and planning U.S. work on the project. You can read more about Dr. Tilghman here.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Tilghman join us as she brings a breadth and depth of experience in science and in philanthropy to the funders she will advise” says Valerie Conn, president.
Dr. Tilghman joins a growing team of senior science advisors at the Alliance, who will help funders understanding both the scientific and the funding landscape in fundamental research, identifying gaps and sharing opportunities for investment. The Alliance’s senior science advisors bring over a century of experience in various models and methods of funding discovery science, in addition to being active researchers who understand how transformative basic research is done. Previously announced, former Alliance President Marc Kastner stepped down from his role at the end of 2019 and continues with the Alliance as a senior science advisor, joining current senior science advisors David Baltimore and Robert Tjian.
The mission of Science Philanthropy Alliance is to increase private support for basic scientific research by providing advice and learning opportunities for funders. By building a community of funders, the Alliance has emerged as the leading resource for discovery science philanthropy, playing a critical role influencing new funds to support basic scientific knowledge—knowledge that is essential to the improvement of human health and welfare.
For more information, contact Michael G. Bare at 650.338.1199.
Click here for the announcement PDF.