(Washington, DC) On October 12, 2019, Hansjörg Wyss was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for his business and philanthropic leadership. The ceremony took place on the campus of Harvard University and the inductees heard remarks from Sherrilyn Ifill, President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

The Academy was founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock, and others who believed the new republic should honor exceptionally accomplished individuals and engage them in advancing the public good. The Academy is both an honorary society that celebrates the excellence of its members and an independent research center that convenes leaders from across disciplines, professions and perspectives to address significant challenges.

“I am humbled to be elected and inducted into an organization that has such a proud tradition of applying education, research, and science to the betterment of societies,” said Wyss, a philanthropist who launched the Wyss Foundation in 1998.

Wyss’s philanthropic work is focused on supporting the advancement of science and medicine, expanding economic opportunities for all people, and conserving the planet’s lands, waters, and wildlife for future generations. In 2018, Wyss launched a 10-year, $1 billion campaign to help protect at least 30% of the planet’s lands and oceans by 2030.