The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: Top 8 facts

By Catherine Rowell

May 19, 2020

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Renowned for launching social media giant Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg has become an influential icon for both start-up companies and successful businesses alike. With the launch of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the organisation aims to invest in the long-term future of communities by undertaking vital research in areas such as science, technology and education to ensure each individual can reach their full potential and live in a more modern, advanced and beneficial future.

Take a look at our top 8 facts regarding the initiative

The main goals for the initiative are to “advance human potential and promote equal opportunity” through research undertaken. Zuckerberg and Chan plan to heavily invest approximately $3 billion to tackle issues within science, technology and education.
The duo has bought on several influential names on board. Cori Bargmann is leading the Chan Zuckerberg Science strategy, involving the undertaking of research to manage and effectively treat diseases so that illness within future generations is reduced or treated swiftly. A renowned neurobiologist and geneticist, she also co-chaired the BRAIN Initiative.
A science advisory board is also part of the organisation, whose world-class expertise will support and shape project research undertaken, alongside the Chan Zuckerberg BioHub, which has incorporated a large number of scientists, engineers and physicians within a self-contained research centre.
With regards to technology, PhD Brian Pinkerton has been bought on board to develop new technologies which will provide new ways in which future communities can thrive, and is responsible for the world’s first internet based search engine, named WebCrawler.
The organisation has embedded an education strategy, with the goal for each individual to benefit from the initiative’s breakthroughs and gain world-class education. Previous Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Education Jim Shelton is responsible for delivering the organisation’s education strategy and the development of new products and personalised technologies to support students, teachers, communities and organisations.
The organisation has recently pledged their support for the Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust and their creation of the DataZone, an integrated system for teachers and users to ensure collaboration within schools.
With a background in technology, Zuckerberg is clearly keen on developing further technologies to not only bring communities together, but to provide long-term advantages in the future and build new platforms for scientists to utilise.
The organisation has recently acquired AI company Meta, which effectively supports the healthcare industry through revolutionary technologies. Bargmann has stated: “Meta’s tools can dramatically accelerate scientific progress and move us closer to our goal: to support science and technology that will make it possible to cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century. Meta will help scientists learn from others’ discoveries in real time, find key papers that may have gone unnoticed, or even predict where their field is headed.”