I am extraordinarily proud of
@11thHourTeam
and all they have overcome. They did more than sail around the world. They carried the message of sustainability, with the singular focus of restoring ocean health. Today, the real winner of this race is the ocean.
Congratulations to the 2024 cohort of
@SchmidtFellows
! We’re eager to see how you all approach problems anew, share insights with each other and the world and, we hope, go on to develop solutions to some of humanity's most pressing challenges.
We had high hopes for
@SchmidtOcean
's new research vessel Falkor (too), and we could not have predicted what we'd find during our inaugural year. Mind-blowing discoveries on every expedition. Check it out.
The Schmidt Center will be a global effort to combine life and data sciences to understand the language of life so people everywhere can live longer and healthier.
@EricSchmidt
and I are excited to support this work.
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Eric and Wendy
#SchmidtCenter
. Merging biology and machine learning to understand the programs of life, the Center will enable a new field of interdisciplinary research aimed at improving human health.
#WorldOceanDay
is a good time to remember that every action we take on land, from the food we eat to clothes we wear, is connected to the ocean. More on that and the
@circulareconomy
by
@ellenmacarthur
and me.
Excited that
@SchmidtFutures
was selected by
@WhiteHouse
to lead a new Quad Fellowship for grad students in STEM. Bringing together bright minds from our four countries will advance innovation and build a better future for all. Learn more:
Congratulations to the 24 winners! These communicators have taken the most complex of subjects and transformed them into accessible stories, cutting through jargon and disinformation and guiding us to a more profound understanding of our world.
Congratulations to the 2023 recipients of the National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications!
Learn more about the 2023 recipients:
#scicomm
Congratulations to the first cohort of
@risefortheworld
Global Winners!
@ericschmidt
and I believe in supporting talent, and we're making a big bet that this community of young people will become a real force for change in the world.
We're thrilled to announce the fourth cohort of Schmidt Science Fellows, a group of 28 early-career scientists committed to harnessing interdisciplinary science to make a positive difference in the world.
Meet the fellows & learn more here:
Less than 1% of U.S. philanthropic dollars have gone to Indigenous people in the past 20 years. That's why we're so excited to continue and grow our support through the Schmidt Family Foundation's new Indigenous Communities grantmaking program.
We’re supporting five research projects through Schmidt Sciences and
@SchmidtOcean
to help us better understand the role of the ocean in mitigating climate change.
#WorldOceanDay
Wonderful to spend time with the senior
@SchmidtFellows
in Chicago this week, a remarkable network of talented scientists whose potential impact together, in interdisciplinary collaborations, far outstrips the potential impact of any single scientist alone.
Delighted
@wenschmidt
could join us
@fieldmuseum
, meet with Fellows, science and innovation guests, and share her passion for interdisciplinary science, the program, and its impact.. “This approach to research is increasingly necessary for science to advance in the 21st Century.”
Scientists aboard
@SchmidtOcean
’s Falkor (too) journeyed to the coast of Panama to study the movement of microplastics in the deep sea. Thank you to
@benstracy
and
@CBSMornings
for spotlighting how marine science is helping us better understand—and protect—our Ocean.
There are more than 10 billion pounds of microplastics floating in the world’s oceans — and
@SchmidtOcean
scientists are working to get a deeper look into the crisis.
@benstracy
shares why it matters, tomorrow on CBS Mornings.
The Earth’s oceans could hold the key to slowing climate change.
Now, scientists are exploring the depths of the ocean to find answers thanks to a new state-of-the-art vessel provided by nonprofit
@SchmidtOcean
Institute.
@wenschmidt
joins us with more details.
#TODAYClimate
Tonight we celebrated the start of the
@SchmidtFellows
Five Year Anniversary and welcomed our fifth cohort - we are now 113 Fellows from 30 nationalities supported by a strong community of interdisciplinary science friends.
If there’s one clear lesson we’ve learned through
@SchmidtOcean
's latest discoveries—two pristine coral reefs, one half a mile long—it’s that we should expect life in the deep ocean to keep surprising us. The more we look, the more we see.
#ECAD2023
President's Award For Conservation: Wendy Schmidt
@wenschmidt
is a philanthropist, investor and founder dedicated to advancing clean energy, resilient food systems, ocean health and human rights around the world. See how she does it, via
@11thhourproject
@schmidtocean
10,000 acres are back in the hands of the Hoopa Valley Tribe. The Schmidt Family Foundation is proud to support this and other efforts to restore health to the Klamath River region.
The systems of life on Earth are deeply interconnected. Our efforts to study them should be no different. Here's why
@ericschmidt
and I support interdisciplinary science.
We must eliminate barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration in the scientific community to address rapidly unfolding global crises and allow science to fulfill its purpose: feeding our curiosity and keeping us alive, write
@ericschmidt
and
@wenschmidt
.
Imagine using AI to advance computing and enhance our response to global challenges from climate to health care. Expanding access to AI tools for scientific research can lay the groundwork for equitable AI.
@ericschmidt
and I are proud to support a fellowship to do just that.
We’re excited to announce the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship, a program of Schmidt Futures which aims to accelerate science by supporting postdoctoral fellows to learn and apply AI methods to their research.
Learn more:
Welcome to the newest members of the
@SchmidtFellows
family, dedicated to learning and problem solving across disciplines. We’re excited to see what you do next.
“They have a restless ambition to use their science to find ways to tackle the biggest problems that the world faces.”
@SchmidtFellows
Executive Director Dr. Megan Kenna welcomes the 2023 cohort of Fellows. Learn more about this remarkable group:
Systemic problems demand systemic solutions. I hope you'll take a minute to see why
@EricSchmidt
and I feel so strongly about the need to bring together life and data sciences.
An exciting but bittersweet day for
@SchmidtOcean
! Thanks to all who sailed on Falkor and all who supported her many voyages. We wish
@CNRsocial_
and their new vessel many years of incredible discoveries wherever she sails.
The Vessel Speed Reduction Zone, which aims to reduce fatal collisions with endangered whales goes into effect today in both San Francisco and Southern California. Vessels over 300gt are encouraged to slow to 10knots.🐋
The technology used to produce food has damaged our land, poisoned our water and harmed small scale farms and those who tend them. We need something better. That’s why we created a new grantmaking program for smart technology for healthier food systems.
In 2019
@ericschmidt
& I made a commitment to find & invest in global talent. The result is Rise—one of the largest scholarship programs in the world. Today is the last day for talented young people to apply to join the 1st cohort. If you're 15-17, learn more at
@risefortheworld
.
Congrats to the Eric and Wendy Schmidt
@ExplorersClub
Visionary Award winners, working to find the origins of life, journey through the Antarctic and save an Indigenous culture in our new Golden Age of Exploration.
@Endurance_22
@CAVeelenturf
On every
@SchmidtOcean
expedition aboard Falkor (too), we find the unexpected, the awe-inspiring, the new. The latest: an underwater mountain twice the height of the world’s tallest building.
Science rarely moves fast. We need long-term datasets to identify & solve myriad problems from climate to human health. Here's to the scientists like those
@EricSchmidt
& I support thru
@schmidtocean
,
@schmidtfutures
&
@Keeling_curve
, working to build knowledge about our planet.
Would you climb an 18,000-foot glacier to fight climate change? Scientist Lonnie Thompson did. Watch “Canary,” presented by
@REI
and
@OscopeLabs
. It was an honor to serve as executive producer.
One of the most exciting parts of Research Vessel
#FalkorToo
isn’t attached to the ship: All data collected is openly available for scientists, managers, policymakers around the world – info to understand our Ocean+make better decisions
#ChapterToo
1st expedition starts tomorrow!
We can’t protect our planet by destroying it, nor can we mine our way out of the climate crisis.
@4kgjerde
and I write in
@GuardianUS
on deep-sea mining.
Toxic air polluters are trying to roll back progress—and deny Californians the right to breathe clean air. We can’t let them win. Join
@janefonda
and me in supporting
@CAvsBigOil
.
Our new center in partnership w/
@BerkeleyDataSci
will foster collaboration to address environmental challenges with
#datascience
tools. Thanks to a gift from
@ericschmidt
and
@wenschmidt
, researchers will develop novel solutions with global benefit.
.
@SchmidtOcean
's new research vessel is providing scientists with the opportunity to explore some of the most uncharted parts of the ocean.
@benstracy
takes a trip aboard the floating laboratory to take a look at some of their incredible discoveries and chats with
@wenschmidt
.
Just like Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did backwards and in high heels, ocean exploration tech can do everything space tech can do—in salt water and under extreme pressure.
#FalkorToo
#ChapterToo
With more than 100 scientific sensors, computers & control systems linked by 140km+ of AV/IT cables, R/V
#FalkorToo
supports the development of advanced technology (like ROVs and autonomous vehicles) to advance marine research.
Counting down: 3 days until
#ChapterToo
begins...
Across millennia, every culture has celebrated light, especially in difficult times and on the longest nights. We hope you and yours find brightness this season.
Despite darkness + crushing depth, the
#DeepSea
is alive. Research Vessel
#FalkorToo
has 8 labs and more space than most other vessels, allowing for greater capabilities for real time sampling, studying, and identification of species. The ship’s first expedition begins in 5 days!
Congratulations to
@WildAid
on winning the 2023
@EarthshotPrize
! We are so proud to support their work protecting coastal communities’ livelihoods, marine ecosystems and our ocean, the source of so much that nourishes us.
EXCITING NEWS: WildAid's marine program won The
@EarthshotPrize
! Thank you to the Earthshot community for giving us and, most importantly, our local partners worldwide this tremendous opportunity.
We're two weeks into California's new composting law--but community
#composting
organizations have been leading the way for years. Read my take on why composting is best when it's local.
AI will not recognize our human rights or our values of equity and inclusion--unless we design it to do so. That's why
@ericschmidt
and I are funding AI2050, an initiative to imagine a future where AI is not what we fear, but the best of what is possible.
What a timely venture! So proud of our daughter, Sophie Schmidt, and her talented team at rest of world for sharing a valuable global perspective on technology and society. Congrats on your launch!
We can’t walk on water, but we sure can leave a big carbon footprint. Take a look at how human activity is changing the ocean—a key area of study for the scientists that will work aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s
#FalkorToo
.
#ChapterToo
Innovative oceanographic solutions are needed to address climate-related impacts and tackle marine pollution. Research Vessel
#FalkorToo
was designed as a modular platform for testing new tech to address these issues. ⏲️ 7 days until ship’s first expedition!
#ChapterToo
Nothing is more powerful than a good story. A good story about something complicated, crucial and universal? That's what science communications is, and we
@SchmidtFutures
are thrilled to join
@TheNASEM
to recognize and support those who do it well.
As big as China and growing: Scientists on
@SchmidtOcean
’s R/V Falkor (too) are studying oxygen minimum zones and how they’re affecting the ocean, the atmosphere and our planet.
The Ocean plays a vital role driving climate, weather + ecosystem interactions on all scales. Fine-scale features are critical in forecasting, but are notoriously difficult to measure. R/V
#FalkorToo
’s High-Performance Computing
#HPC
system can be used at sea to improve modeling.
Exceptional science communication is vital to bridging the gap between researchers and the public, ensuring that scientific advancements are accessible and understandable to all.
In partnership with
@TheNASEM
, we’re excited to open applications to the 2023 Eric and Wendy Schmidt
Scientists and journalists are both seekers and sharers of knowledge, but they speak what might as well be two languages. The communicators honored with the Schmidt Awards at
@theNASEM
not only speak both languages but also bridge them. Congratulations to this year's winners.
In partnership with
@TheNASEM
,
@SchmidtFutures
is honored to recognize some of the most exceptional science journalism via the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications. Learn more about the inaugural cohort of winners:
Global problems need global solutions. That's why
@schmidtfutures
is seeking STEM students from Australia, India, Japan and the US for
@QuadFellowship
. Help spread the word.
We're excited to announce that applications are now open for the
@QuadFellowship
, a first-of-its-kind scholarship initiative from the governments of Australia, India, Japan and the US supporting master's and doctoral students in STEM. Learn more at:
What a fun way to start the day: meet this year's Rise Global Winners on
@GMA
. These inspirational young people will undoubtedly
#RiseTo
change the world. Get to know them all at .
@SchmidtFutures
@RiseFortheWorld
.
Welcome to the new
@RisefortheWorld
global winners! Their ideas—from how to increase renewable energy use in Bali to helping children read with AI in Turkey—are the sparks that we hope will ignite these teens’ lifelong commitment to each other and to a better future.
Instead of fearing the future, what if we imagined—and built—a better one? Watch the trailer for “A Brief History of the Future,” a six-part documentary series I’m proud to have helped produce, and watch the series starting April 3 on
@PBS
On the eve of
#COP28
, attribution science is having a moment. Let’s make sure that the data accurately reflects the people and countries facing the worst of climate destruction. Read my op-ed with
@ClimateCentral
’s Ben Strauss here.
There is no challenge that talented young people can't face. That's why
@ericschmidt
and I are excited to honor the 2022 Rise Global Winners. We can't wait to see how they
#RiseTo
serve their communities and the world.
@SchmidtFutures
@RiseFortheWorld
Announcing this year's Rise Global Winners. Congratulations! We know your brilliant ideas will have a profound impact on the world. Learn more about all 100 of our Winners:
I’m urging the California Legislature to pass important, commonsense plastic legislation this summer. We need California to take action and enact policies to help reduce the amount of plastic pollution in our ocean and our communities:
@mercnews
What if we could build machines to be more like Nature, to help us take better care of the planet?
@SchmidtFellows
Ryan Truby, who makes soft robots, is dedicating himself to answering that question.
“These people matter. Their lives are just as valuable as those in other parts of the world.” Meet
@schmidtfellows
’ Emma Bonglack, who studies genetics to help bring more understanding of, and better medicine to, people around the world and particularly in Africa.
Not since the Age of Reason have we re-envisioned our approach to economics, order, security, and even knowledge itself.
Now, the Age of AI is changing nearly everything about how we navigate the world — and what it means to be human:
There’s a link between latitude and marine bacteria that breaks down plastic, according to an analysis of environmental DNA from samples collected by
@11thhourteam
. Learn more about eDNA
Our economy was not designed with the planet in mind. The bioeconomy imagines a different path that works with, not against, the natural world. Give the new
@SchmidtFutures
report a read for more:
After 113 years of fighting the U.S. government and systemic racism, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are once again managing 18,800 acres of wildlands, and its resident bison herd.
@annavtoriasmith
for
@highcountrynews
Watch
@SchmidtOcean
on
@cbssaturday
to see how marine science is helping us better understand—and protect—our Ocean. Giving
@benstracy
a tour of Falkor (too) in Panama was a pleasure.
.
@SchmidtOcean
's research vessel is changing how scientists study the ocean.
@benstracy
took a ride on Falkor (too) to see some of the cutting-edge research that is being done.
Little state, big climate goals: Rhode Island, home to
@11thhourracing
, comes in second in renewable energy produced per square mile. Story by
@DanGearino
What a night! Honored to join advocates Nalleli Cobo and
@Janefonda
and so many other incredible people to support
@CAvsBigOil
. We're joining together to fight Big Oil---because everyone deserves to breathe clean air. Learn more:
Scientists shouldn't have to learn how to make software just to analyze their data. We hope
@schmidtfutures
Virtual Institute of Scientific Software will connect software pros to science and speed discovery for the benefit of all. Read on
@sciencemagazine
Climate change is the defining issue of our time—but instead of fearing the future, the Envision Resilience Challenge partners with students and communities to imagine something better, and then work toward it.
It's time for every industry in the world to reconsider business-as-usual to halt the destruction of our climate, and fashion is no exception. Thanks to
@ApparelImpact
for leading the way.
Aii announces lead funders in our new $250M Fashion Climate Fund —
@lululemon
, H&M Group,
@hmfoundation
& The Schmidt Family Foundation. We’re asking industry + philanthropy to join them in unlocking est. $2B in blended capital & reach 2030 climate goals.
Before
#ChapterToo
, let’s take a look at Chapter One of the incredible journey of Research Vessel Falkor. Stay tuned for more as we gear up to announce
#FalkorToo
.
Join us counting down the days to Research Vessel
#FalkorToo
's inaugural science expedition!
Built to boldly explore our unknown Ocean, excite interest, and inform the wise stewardship of our planet - 10 days until research begins!
#VolumeToo
#ChapterToo
Thank you to
@Philanthropy
for sharing my remembrance of Paul Farmer, a hero, an inspiration, a friend to me and our foundation. The world is forever changed because of him. We honor his legacy. )
In Opinion: Even while attending to those with the most challenging afflictions, including HIV, Ebola, and tuberculosis, Farmer didn’t just treat the disease. He treated the whole person and the whole community.
Congratulations to our grantee Kitchen Table Advisors on its 10-year anniversary! That’s a decade of supporting nearly 200 small-scale sustainable farms, owned and operated by people of color, in my home state of California. Thank you for all you do.
New research from our grantee
@spununderground
found that fungi draw 13 billion tons of greenhouse gasses underground each year. That’s a third of the world’s total. Story by
@littletrip
Winners, committee members, jury members, guests, and staff all came together to honor the incredible achievements of the 24 winners this year. What a night! ✨
To learn more about the awards and sign up for the
@SciCommAwards
e-newsletter visit:
#SciComm
There's nothing quite like the optimism, curiosity and drive of the
@risefortheworld
community. If you know an amazing teen who wants to help make the world better, encourage them to
#RiseTo
the challenge at:
Applications are now open for Rise! This year, we’ve partnered with
@bishopbriggs
with her new single “superhuman.” If you’re between the ages of 15 and 17 and have a brilliant idea, then
#RiseTo
the challenge today. Go to to learn more.
Agroecology works with rather than against nature to grow and distribute our food. Thanks to Inside Philanthropy for sharing my thoughts on why it's time to move beyond industrial agriculture, for us and
#fornature
.
To stop plastic pollution and fossil fuel use, we don’t need one solution. We need many, applied justly, ethically and sustainably. That’s what we’re funding through the Schmidt Family Foundation’s new grantmaking program, Minerals and Materials.
Next generation underwater cameras will be lidar-integrated, w/ real-time color reconstruction capabilities & enable better navigation for robotic missions.
In 10 mins, watch our recent work demonstrating how:
#OSM22
w/ generous support from
@SMTPSF
🐙