Remembering Former Academy Board Member Jim Simons

Published May 10, 2024

By Nick Fetty
Digital Content Manager

The New York Academy of Sciences is saddened to learn about the passing of James “Jim” Simons, a former Board member and longtime supporter of the Academy.

Simons was an award-winning mathematician, a legend in quantitative investing, and an inspired and generous philanthropist. He and his wife established the Simons Foundation to promote scientific and mathematical research. Their support led to breakthroughs in our understanding of autism, the origins of the universe, cellular biology and computational science.

Earlier in his career he founded Renaissance Technologies, a hedge fund that pioneered quantitative trading and became one of the most profitable investment firms in history. He also previously chaired the math department at Stony Brook University in New York.

He served on the Academy’s Board of Governors from 1998 to 2001 and was a longtime benefactor of the Academy’s efforts to promote science for the public good. Simons was 86 years old.