Stephen Wolfram presents at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for the Hertz Foundation’s Empowering Excellence Event

Newswise — The Hertz Foundation and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) have jointly released a keynote talk, Where the Computational Paradigm Leads (in Physics, Tech, AI, Biology, Math, ...), by visionary mathematician Stephen Wolfram, delivered to members of the Hertz Foundation board of directors and invited guests at the Empowering Excellence: The Hertz Way event held October 18 at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Wolfram, best known as the creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha & Wolfram Language, the author of A New Kind of Science, and the originator of the Wolfram Physics Project, discussed his career in the field of cellular automata and wide ranging interests through live coding demonstrations, dazzling mathematical images, and questions from the audience. 

The Hertz Foundation, a nonprofit that funds and supports the nation's most promising graduate students in applied science and technology through its prestigious Hertz Fellowship, regularly connects leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists such as Wolfram with its worldwide community of more than 1300 remarkable Hertz Fellows. 

Empowering Excellence celebrated the 10th anniversary of the foundation’s advisory body, called the Fellowship and Programs Council, and the recently announced retirement of Hertz Foundation President Robbee Kosak, and the appointment of her successor, Wendy Connors. 

Peter Robinson, the academy’s chief program officer, opened the evening with welcome remarks, noting that 21 Hertz Fellows have been inducted into the membership, including Greg Boebinger, Alexei Fillipenko and board member Alfred Spector. Wolfram was inducted as an academy member in 2023.

The evening also featured a jazz performance from Hertz Fellows Vaibhav Mohanty (composer, piano), Jeff Brown (guitar), Kartik Chandra (melodica, keytar), Daniel Goodman (accordion) and local musicians Aaron Day (drums), Sebastian Franjou (bass), and Andrew Li (saxophone). The ensemble performed an original composition, Industria, which Mohanty wrote for the event and dedicated to the Hertz Foundation. Industria translates to diligence, purpose, and energy in Latin—qualities the Hertz Foundation seeks in potential fellows during its fellowship selection process.

About the Hertz Foundation

Founded in 1957, the John and Fannie Hertz Foundation accelerates solutions to the world's most pressing challenges, from enhancing national security to improving human health. Through the Hertz Fellowship, the foundation identifies the nation's most promising young innovators and disruptors in science and technology, empowering them to become the future leaders who keep our country safe and secure. Today, a community of more than 1,300 Hertz Fellows are a powerful, solution-oriented network of our nation's top scientific minds, working to address complex problems and contributing to the economic vitality of our country. Learn more at hertzfoundation.org.