Daniel Lee

About Daniel Lee

I serve in the Office of the President at Schmidt Sciences, shaping philanthropic strategy to accelerate scientific discovery and innovation. My work lives at the crossroads of science, systems thinking, and societal impact—where ambitious ideas meet complex, real-world challenges. Over my career, I’ve led large-scale portfolios in open science, climate, AI, and research talent. I\'m drawn to problems that don’t fit neatly in a box—those that demand integrative thinking, structured approaches, and deep collaboration across sectors. My approach is rooted in scientific rigor and focused on building lasting institutions that can scale ideas that matter. I’ve built and led teams managing $30M+ in annual funding, directed catalytic grantmaking, and authored dozens of peer-reviewed papers. I’m especially energized by strategies that unlock innovation, steward public-good knowledge, and broaden who gets to participate in science. What I bring- Strategy and execution in science philanthropy - Designing interdisciplinary initiatives from idea to impact - Scientific diligence, nonprofit leadership, and systems-level design - A bias for action, clarity, and scalable solutions I’m motivated by efforts that turn bold ideas into durable change, where science meets ambition and the stakes are important. I welcome connections and collaboration with others advancing transformative work in science, research, and innovation.

Experience

1. Senior Program Scientist - Office of the President

   Schmidt Sciences

   Feb 2024 — Present · New York, NY, US

   I help shape the scientific strategy and impact initiatives at Schmidt Sciences, a new science philanthropy founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt to accelerate breakthroughs that support a thriving world. In recent years, I’ve had the privilege of leading two global, high-impact programs: The AI in Science Fellowship (2022–24) – a $148M initiative empowering hundreds of researchers across nine universities to apply AI in novel, interdisciplinary ways across STEM fields. The Virtual Earth System Research Institute (2021–24) – a global collaboration tackling the hardest challenges in climate modeling to enhance the accuracy and credibility of Earth system predictions.My work sits at the intersection of science, strategy, and systems change—driven by a belief that the right investments in science can unlock a better future.

Education

• The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - Honors, Neuroscience

  2005 — 2012

• University of California, Berkeley

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Honors, Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology

  2001 — 2004

Skills

• Project Planning
• Science
• In Situ Hybridization
• Research Design
• Sleep
• Genetics
• Tissue Culture
• Immunofluorescence
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Grantsmanship
• Stem Cells
• Pcr
• Stem Cell Research
• Confocal Microscopy
• Public Speaking
• Transgenics
• Molecular Biology
• Neuroscience
• Cell
• Mouse Models
• Brain
• Fluorescence Microscopy
• Microscopy
• Data Analysis
• Neurosurgery
• Cell Biology
• Research
• Teaching
• Zebrafish
• Molecular Genetics
• Animal Models
• Fundraising
• Animal Husbandry
• Molecular Cloning
• Scientific Writing
• Immunohistochemistry
• Animal Behavior
• Cell Culture