How Science Meets Society: A New Institute Takes Shape

Entrepreneur John McQuillan is putting $10 million towards an exciting new venture — the McQuillan Institute for Science, Technology, and the Human Future. This institute, with roots at Harvard, aims to explore how science and society interact. Sheila Jasanoff, a Harvard professor, is the scientific director and co-founder. The institute isn't tied to a single location yet but will host lectures and symposiums across Greater Boston.McQuillan and Jasanoff hope their work will guide policy-makers on issues like AI, genetic engineering, and stem cell research. They met 20 years ago when McQuillan took Jasanoff's class. He later funded a lecture series she organized. Now, they're launching a bigger platform for research and training. McQuillan, who founded Triumvirate Environmental in his 20s, has grown it into a 2, 000-person business worth $1. 8 billion. He believes science and technology should serve humanity, and policies are needed to regulate new discoveries. With technology advancing rapidly, democracies struggle to keep up. The institute's annual spending and number of researchers will be decided by McQuillan, Jasanoff, and a board they're assembling.