The New York Academy of Sciences (originally the Lyceum of Natural History) was founded in January 1817 as the Lyceum of Natural History. It is the fourth oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization with more than members in 100 countries, the academy has a mission to advance scientific research and knowledge, support scientific literacy, and promote science-based solutions to global challenges. The academy hosts programs and publishes scholarly scientific content in the life, physical, and social sciences, including several areas of cross-discipline inquiry such as nutrition, artificial intelligence, space exploration, and sustainability. The academy's programs and publications are designed to discuss and disseminate accurate and timely scientific information to its members, the broad scientific community, the media, and the public. The academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers. The president and CEO of the academy is Nicholas Dirks. The chair of the board of governors is Jerry Hultin, chair and co-founder of Global Futures Group, LLC. Brief History Founded on January 29, 1817, the New York Academy of Sciences was originally called the Lyceum of Natural History. Attended by the academy's founder and first president, Samuel L. Mitchill, the first meeting of the Lyceum took place at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, located on Barclay Street near Broadway in lower Manhattan. Within a few months of the first meeting, the Lyceum moved to the New York Institution (located on the northwest corner of Broadway and Chambers Street) and began its first activities—hosting lectures, collecting natural history specimens, and establishing a library. In 1823, the Lyceum began publishing its own scientific journal, Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York, which, in 1876, was renamed Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. By 1826 the Lyceum owned "the richest collection of reptiles and fish in the country." A fire in 1866 destroyed the collection. Following the fire, the academy turned its focus away from collecting and natural history to the ever-specializing domains of scientific research and inquiry, community outreach, and involvement in the scientific endeavors of the main scientific organizations in New York City. This included the dissemination of scientific information at all levels—from a curious public to specialized science societies, colleges, and universities. From the outset, the New York Academy of Sciences' membership was unusual among scientific societies in the 19th century because