JAMES SIMONS

SIMONS--James Harris. The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J. mourns the passing of its Member ('72), Trustee (2001-2018), Vice Chair (2010-2018), and generous champion of discovery, James H. Simons (1938-2024). Jim's work shaped the Institute and its community in countless ways, and his results in mathematics, in particular the Chern-Simons theory, have animated and continue to animate the insights of our scholars and of researchers in mathematics, physics, and computational theory around the world. With his wife Marilyn, Jim was a steadfast friend and patron of the Institute, committed to connecting international communities of scholars and building bridges among disciplines, such as with The Simons Center for Systems Biology, which conducts research at the interface of biology and the physical sciences. Jim provided distinguished counsel to our Board for 17 years, insisting always on the intrinsic value of foundational and curiosity-driven research. As a philanthropist, Jim's work has transformed the possibilities of existence for the Institute and for many other organizations dedicated to discovery. Jim's passing is a personal sorrow to all of us at the Institute, but his legacy of generosity and mentorship remains as consolation. We extend deepest sympathies to Marilyn; children Elizabeth, Nathaniel, and Audrey; IAS Trustee Mark Heising; and the entire Simons family. Chair John A. Overdeck Chair Emeritus Charles Simonyi Director David Nirenberg