Nobel Prize Winner W.E. Moerner, MacArthur Fellow Dianne K. Newman & San Francisco 49ers Co-Owner Gideon Yu Join Society for Science & the Public Board of Trustees

WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2018) –– The Society for Science & the Public is excited to announce that Nobel Prize-winning scientist W.E. Moerner, MacArthur Fellow Dianne K. Newman and San Francisco 49ers co-owner Gideon Yu have all joined the Society’s Board of Trustees. 

“I am pleased to welcome W.E., Dianne and Gideon to the Society’s Board of Trustees,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News.  “Their individual expertise and collective guidance will be incredibly valuable in shaping the future direction of the Society.”

Moerner is the Harry S. Mosher Professor of Chemistry and Professor, by courtesy, of Applied Physics at Stanford University where he conducts research in physical chemistry and chemical physics of single molecules, single-molecule biophysics, super-resolution imaging and tracking in cells and trapping of single molecules in solution.  Notably, he received the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy.

“I am thrilled to contribute to the important goals of educating and inspiring young people to pursue science, as well as to communicate science to the broader public,” said Moerner.  “Our world benefits from a deeper appreciation and understanding of science, especially how the scientific method validates and generates new discoveries to address worldwide challenges. I am truly excited to continue to help stimulate young minds through the Society.”

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Moerner’s major awards include the Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy, the Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics, the Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award, the Peter Debye Award in Physical Chemistry, the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, and a Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Moerner received BS degrees in Physics as well as Electric Engineering and an AB in Mathematics from Washington University. He also received his MS in Physics and his PhD in Physics from Cornell University.

Newman is the Gordon M. Binder/Amgen Professor of Biology and Geobiology at Caltech, and also holds the Allen V.C. Davis and Lenabelle Davis Leadership Chair for the Center for Environmental Microbial Interactions (CEMI).  She is a MacArthur Fellow and Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.  A Society alumna, Newman competed in the International Science and Engineering Fair in 1987 and 1988.

Newman’s research focuses on microbial stress responses, with an emphasis on mechanisms of energy generation and survival when oxygen is scarce.  She has served on many editorial boards, visiting committees and has received numerous honors, including the National Academy of Science’s 2016 Award in Molecular Biology for her “discovery of microbial mechanisms underlying geologic processes.”

“As a daughter of non-scientists, my participation in the ISEF helped ignite my interest in a career in science and engineering,” Newman commented.  “I am personally indebted to the important work of the Society for Science & the Public, and honored and delighted to be able to help it maintain and extend its impact.”

Newman received her BA at Stanford University, earned her PhD in Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under Francois Morel, a geochemist and trained as a postdoc at Harvard Medical School with Roberto Kolter, a bacterial geneticist.  She joined the Caltech faculty in 2000 as the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Geobiology and Environmental Science.  From 2007-2010 she was the Wilson Professor of Biology and Geobiology at MIT, and from 2005-2016 she was also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Yu is the co-owner and former President of the San Francisco 49ers.  He was the first President of color of any team in the history of the National Football League.  Yu led the financing and building of Levi’s Stadium, home to the 49ers, which included the largest stadium construction loan in the history of professional sports and the largest long-term stadium financing in NFL history.  During his operating tenure with the 49ers, the team went to three consecutive National Football Conference championship games and played in Super Bowl XLVII.

“I am honored and humbled to join the Society’s Board of Trustees,” said Yu.  “As a former ISEF Grand Award winner, the Society and its mission have a special place in my heart. I am excited to work with Maya and her amazing team for many years to come.”  Yu competed in the 1989 ISEF.

Yu is the Executive Chairman of Bowers & Wilkins, one of the leading brands in home audio.  This role is the result of the startup he co-founded in 2014, EVA Automation, acquiring 50-year old Bowers & Wilkins in 2016.  Previously, Yu was the Chief Financial Officer of both Facebook and YouTube, the first two Internet companies to achieve one billion active users.  Yu was also a General Partner at Khosla Ventures, where he led the firm’s founding investment in Square, founded by Jack Dorsey (founder of Twitter) and was the company’s first outside board member.  Yu was also Treasurer and SVP of Finance at Yahoo, where he executed more than 30 acquisitions /investments, including Alibaba, Overture, and Flickr.

About Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazine, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).