The Foundational Questions Institute, FQxI, appoints Pinar Emirdag to Board of Directors

The Foundational Questions Institute, FQxI, a philanthropically-funded science funding agency and think tank, is delighted to announce that Dr Pinar Emirdag has been appointed to the Institute’s Board of Directors.

Emirdag, a financial services executive and entrepreneur, is currently director of Hupomone Ventures, having previously spearheaded industry-changing initiatives at institutions such as JP Morgan, Citi and the London Stock Exchange and at start-ups including Lava Trading and Clearmatics. FQxI’s Chief Operating Officer Kavita Rajanna said: “Pinar is a multi-award-winning financial technology innovator and an internationally renowned expert on distributed ledger technology and we are honored that she has joined our team. Pinar’s wealth of expertise makes her ideally suited to guide FQxI through its next phase of evolution, in which the Institute will not only continue to support world-class science but will also actively engage in metascience research to improve the way that science is done in a rapidly-changing technological landscape.” 

“Pinar is a multi-award-winning financial technology innovator and an internationally renowned expert on distributed ledger technology and we are honored that she has joined our team,” says Kavita Rajanna.

FQxI was founded in 2006 and catalyzes research and outreach, primarily on questions at the foundations of physics and cosmology. Emirdag, who holds doctorate and master’s degrees in theoretical particle physics and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Brown University, USA, said: “I was particularly drawn to FQxI’s excellent track record in supporting paradigm-shifting research that is changing our understanding of the nature of reality, while laying the groundwork for novel quantum technologies. I am also impressed by FQxI’s commitment to making science more equitable and effective, and I am excited to help FQxI realize these goals.”

“I was particularly drawn to FQxI’s excellent track record in supporting paradigm-shifting research that is changing our understanding of the nature of reality, while laying the groundwork for novel quantum technologies,” says Pinar Emirdag. 

Emirdag brings more than two decades of experience working with a range of global regulators and academics across multiple fields. She also serves on the Industry Liaison Board of Imperial College Computing, UK. FQxI’s Chief Scientific Officer David Sloan said: “As a former scientific researcher who has maintained strong ties to academia, Pinar has a deep understanding of the challenges scientists face when trying to secure financial investment for potentially groundbreaking new ideas. It’s a tragedy that so many brilliant scientific projects fall to the wayside due to a lack of funding and this is precisely the problem that FQxI was set-up to tackle and which Pinar will be helping us address in novel ways.”

“As a former scientific researcher who has maintained strong ties to academia, Pinar has a deep understanding of the challenges scientists face when trying to secure financial investment for potentially groundbreaking new ideas,” says David Sloan.

FQxI’s co-founder and President of the Board Anthony Aguirre said: “FQxI was founded by scientists for scientists and has a long history of successfully supporting high-risk, high-reward research that would have been overlooked by conventional scientific funding bodies. Pinar’s background makes her a perfect fit with FQxI’s disruptive ethos that also promotes equity in science.”

“Pinar’s background makes her a perfect fit with FQxI’s disruptive ethos that also promotes equity in science,” says Anthony Aguirre.

Dr Pinar Emirdag joins Professor Anthony Aguirre, Ms M. Amanda High and Ms Kavita Rajanna on FQxI’s Board of Directors. 

Further information about the Foundational Questions Institute, FQxI can be found here: