Simons Foundation President David Spergel Elected to the American Philosophical Society

The American Philosophical Society has elected astrophysicist and Simons Foundation president David Spergel as one of the newest members of its ranks.

Benjamin Franklin founded the organization in 1743 with the goal of “promoting useful knowledge.” The society comprises top scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines, including math, physics, biology, the arts and public leadership. Spergel joins 28 other new resident members and eight international members elected to the society this year.

Before taking over as Simons Foundation president in 2021, Spergel directed the Center for Computational Astrophysics at the Simons Foundation’s Flatiron Institute and was the emeritus Charles A. Young Professor of Astronomy on the Class of 1897 Foundation at Princeton University.

Spergel received the 2018 Breakthrough Prize in fundamental physics for his contributions to the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Additional honors include the Shaw Prize in astronomy and a MacArthur fellowship.