Wenner-Gren Foundation

Wenner-Gren Foundation is a private operating foundation that supports research in anthropology, with a focus on human evolution, primate behavior, and cultural diversity. The foundation was established in 1947 by Axel Wenner-Gren, a Swedish entrepreneur and explorer, who was also a friend of Thor Heyerdahl and supported his Kon-Tiki expedition. The foundation's work is closely tied to the development of anthropology as a discipline, and it has supported the research of many prominent anthropologists, including Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, and Claude Lévi-Strauss. The foundation's activities are also connected to the work of other organizations, such as the National Science Foundation, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland.

● History

The Wenner-Gren Foundation was established in 1947, with the goal of supporting research in anthropology and related fields. The foundation's early years were marked by a focus on human evolution and primate behavior, with support for researchers such as Louis Leakey and Jane Goodall. The foundation also supported the development of anthropology as a discipline, with grants to institutions such as the University of Chicago, the University of California, Berkeley, and the London School of Economics. The foundation's work has been influenced by the research of prominent anthropologists, including Bronisław Malinowski, Edward Sapir, and Alfred Kroeber, and it has also been connected to the work of other organizations, such as the American Anthropological Association, the Society for American Archaeology, and the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences.

● Mission and Activities

The Wenner-Gren Foundation's mission is to support research in anthropology and related fields, with a focus on human evolution, primate behavior, and cultural diversity. The foundation's activities include providing grants to researchers, supporting the development of anthropology as a discipline, and promoting the dissemination of anthropological knowledge. The foundation also supports the work of institutions such as the Field Museum of Natural History, the American Museum of Natural History, and the British Museum, and it has been involved in the development of initiatives such as the Human Genome Project and the Encyclopedia of Anthropology. The foundation's work is also connected to the research of prominent scientists, including Stephen Jay Gould, Niles Eldredge, and Richard Dawkins, and it has been influenced by the work of other organizations, such as the National Geographic Society, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Royal Society.

● Grant Programs

The Wenner-Gren Foundation offers a range of grant programs to support research in anthropology and related fields. These programs include the Dissertation Fieldwork Grants program, which supports doctoral students in anthropology and related fields, and the Post-Ph.D. Research Grants program, which supports early-career researchers. The foundation also offers grants to support the development of anthropology as a discipline, including the Conference and Workshop Grants program and the International Collaborative Research Grants program. The foundation's grant programs have supported the research of many prominent anthropologists, including Sherry Ortner, Renato Rosaldo, and James Clifford, and they have also been connected to the work of other organizations, such as the Social Science Research Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Ford Foundation.

● Notable Grantees

The Wenner-Gren Foundation has supported the research of many notable anthropologists and scientists, including Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas. The foundation has also supported the work of prominent researchers such as Stephen Jay Gould, Niles Eldredge, and Richard Dawkins, and it has been involved in the development of initiatives such as the Human Genome Project and the Encyclopedia of Anthropology. The foundation's grantees have included researchers from institutions such as the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and they have also been connected to the work of other organizations, such as the Royal Society, the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Other notable grantees include Tim Ingold, Marilyn Strathern, and Bruno Latour, who have all made significant contributions to the field of anthropology.

● Organization and Governance

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is a private operating foundation, governed by a board of trustees that includes prominent anthropologists and scientists. The foundation's president is Leslie Aiello, a primatologist and anthropologist who has worked at institutions such as the University College London and the Wistar Institute. The foundation's staff includes a team of program officers and administrators who are responsible for managing the foundation's grant programs and activities. The foundation is also advised by a council of experts that includes researchers from institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and the Australian National University. The foundation's governance is connected to the work of other organizations, such as the American Anthropological Association, the Society for American Archaeology, and the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences. Category:Anthropology