News
The Council mourns the loss of Board and Visiting Committee member Michael Gellert (1931-2021)
Michael Gellert, philanthropist, venture capitalist, and vital member of the Council community, passed away on August 17 at the age of 90. Born in Prague in 1931, Gellert was a general partner of the investment firm Windcrest Partners, which he cofounded in 1968, a director of Dalet Technologies, and a director emeritus of Seacor Holdings. He received a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from the Wharton School. In addition to his business career, Gellert devoted much of his time, knowledge, and experience to advancing the work of nonprofits, including the Carnegie Institution for Science, Human Rights Watch, the
Announcing the 2021 SSRC Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal grantees
The Social Science Research Council is proud to announce the ten early-career scholars selected to receive 2021 Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal grants. The grants aim to bring knowledge of the place of religion and spirituality into scholarly and public conversations about renewing democracy in the United States. Established in 2020, the Religion, Spirituality, and Democratic Renewal grants are offered through the SSRC Religion and the Public Sphere program in partnership with the Fetzer Institute. This year’s competition emphasized research that examines the ways spirituality, religious traditions, and institutions shape democratic participation, debates, institutions, and public policies. Selected projects address topics including the complex