fb-pixelAcademy loses a tireless advocate of arts, sciences - The Boston Globe Skip to main content
letters

Academy loses a tireless advocate of arts, sciences

Leslie Berlowitz has resigned as president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences under difficult circumstances. As two fellows of the academy who admire those who are willing to work in the public domain and accept the risks of doing so, we think it appropriate to acknowledge a few of her many accomplishments.

With a firm commitment to policy research, she greatly expanded the academy’s programs in both scope and relevance. Her flagship projects included the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences as well as initiatives such as Global Nuclear Future and Protecting the Internet as a Public Commons.

Recognizing the importance of investing in the future, Berlowitz established a visiting scholars program that has promoted the work of postdoctoral scholars and untenured junior faculty undertaking studies relating to American history, culture, and public policy. Nearly all of these numerous visiting scholars have secured full-time teaching positions at universities and research institutions across the country.

Advertisement



She also greatly strengthened the financial standing and reach of the academy, growing its net assets significantly since 1996 and dramatically increasing the number of university affiliates. The academy has lost a tireless and effective advocate of the arts and sciences with Berlowitz’s departure.

We want to celebrate her many accomplishments on behalf of the distinguished organization to which she devoted the past 17 years of her life.

Phil Bredesen
Nashville
Karl Eikenberry
Stanford, Calif.

Bredesen was governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011, and Eikenberry was the commander of US forces in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007 and ambassador to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2011.