History

The Clay Mathematics Institute was founded in September 1998 by Mr. Landon T. Clay, a Boston businessman, and his wife, Lavinia D. Clay.  Its establishment grew out Landon Clay’s belief in the value of mathematical knowledge and its centrality to human progress, culture, and intellectual life.

Landon Clay, a graduate of Harvard College, had a distinguished career as a successful businessman and in finance and science-based venture capital funding. He also devoted a great deal of thought and energy to philanthropic causes, from archaelogy and astronomy to biology and mathematics. He believed that science and mathematics have made enormous contributions to mankind’s welfare and understanding of the world, and that the role of mathematics will grow ever more important in the future.