The New York Academy of Sciences is a nonprofit professional society with the mission to advance scientific research and knowledge, support scientific literacy, and promote science-based solutions to global challenges. Founded in January 1817 as the Lyceum of Natural History, it is the fourth-oldest scientific society in the United States. The academy has more than 20,000 members in 100 countries.

Nicholas B. Dirks is an American academic and a former Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. Dirks is the author of numerous books on South Asian history and culture, primarily concerned with the impact of British colonial rule. In June 2020, Dirks was named president and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences.