Andrew Forrest
Dr Andrew Forrest AO is a global business and philanthropic leader dedicated to ending the use of fossil fuels, creating green energy solutions and tackling global challenges like climate change, conflict response, modern slavery and oceanic destruction through overfishing and plastic pollution.
In 2003, Dr Forrest founded the iron ore miner Fortescue in Western Australia. 22 years later, Fortescue is one of the world’s largest iron ore producers and a global green technology, energy and mining group which has generated the highest Total Shareholder Returns of any company listed on the ASX. Fortescue is on track to be ‘Real Zero’ by 2030 – which will see the Company eliminate the use of fossil fuels from its Australian operations.
As founder of Australia’s largest philanthropy Minderoo Foundation, Dr. Forrest has pledged to give away his wealth over his lifetime. With an endowment exceeding AU$9 billion, Minderoo tackles global challenges, such as climate change, ending plastic pollution, urgent humanitarian responses and returning our natural ecosystems to a healthy state.
Dr Forrest holds a PhD in Marine Ecology and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to philanthropy, mining, employment, and sustainable foreign investment.
The Salata Institute
The Salata Institute supports interdisciplinary research that leads to real-world action, including high-risk/high-reward projects by researchers already working in the climate area and new endeavors that make it easier for Harvard scholars, who have not worked on climate problems, to do so. Faculty interested in the Climate Research Clusters program should note an upcoming deadline for concepts on April 1, 2024.