Principal's Circle
The Principal's Circle is the school’s highest recognition society for those alumni who have been philanthropic leaders and given back to Bronx Science in countless ways.
Leonard A. Lauder is Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and is currently the senior member of its Board of Directors. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Mr. Lauder also studied at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He formally joined the Company in 1958, when it had annual sales of $800,000. Mr. Lauder consistently developed and implemented innovative sales and marketing programs and increased the Company’s sales and profits. He created its first research and development laboratory and brought in professional management on every level. He also initiated The Estée Lauder Companies’ international expansion, which began in 1960 with the opening of the Estée Lauder account at Harrods in London. Mr. Lauder served as President of The Estée Lauder Companies from 1972 to 1995 and as Chief Executive Officer from 1982 to 1999. He added the title of Chairman in 1995 and served as Chairman through June 2009. Under his leadership, the Company launched many brands, including Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series and Origins. Beginning in the mid-1990s, the company also began expanding through acquisitions, including Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London, La Mer and M·A·C. In addition to his activities with The Estée Lauder Companies, Mr. Lauder is extremely involved in the worlds of education, art, politics and philanthropy. He is Emeritus Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania and a founding member of the Board of Governors of its Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies. Mr. Lauder became a Trustee of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City in 1977 and currently serves as its Chairman Emeritus. He is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation; Co-Chairman of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation Board of Directors; a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; Chairman Emeritus and Lifetime Trustee of the Aspen Institute Board of Directors, as well as former Chairman of the Aspen Institute International Committee; and a member of the President’s Council of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital. Mr. Lauder served on the Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations under President Ronald Reagan. Among his honors, he has been named an Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by France and recognized by the U.S. Navy Supply Corps Foundation with its Distinguished Alumni Award. The Lauder family received the esteemed 2011 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in recognition of its long-standing commitment to philanthropy and public service. Mr. Lauder was the 2013 recipient of the Palazzo Strozzi Renaissance Man of the Year Award. Most recently, he was named a 2014 Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. Mr. Lauder was married to Evelyn H. Lauder (Senior Corporate Vice President for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.) from 1959 until she passed away in 2011. They had two sons together, William (Executive Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies) and Gary (Managing Partner, Lauder Partners LLC), and five grandchildren. On January 1, 2015, Mr. Lauder married Judy Glickman Lauder, an internationally recognized philanthropist and photographer whose work is represented in more than 300 public and private collections including the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Stanley Manne is a self-made businessman, investor, and philanthropist whose belief in entrepreneurship has shaped his journey and countless others. Mr. Manne is a first-generation college student, the youngest of four boys, who credits his educational access and pursuits to his eldest brother, Louis, who launched a family business that provided Mr. Manne an opportunity to earn a chemical engineering degree at Columbia University in New York and an MBA from the University of Chicago, after graduating from the esteemed Bronx High School of Science in 1952. During his professional career, Mr. Manne advanced from engineering positions in the manufacturing sector to the management of several businesses, purchasing Brawny Plastics in 1985 and continuing as the company’s owner. Mr. Manne utilized his leadership and business acumen at Brawny to become a savvy investor, through which Mr. Manne has developed keen and successful investments. As Mr. Manne’s career flourished, he turned his attention to philanthropy and founded the Manne Family Foundation in 1997. The Foundation provides educational support, fosters self-sufficiency and success, and ensures access to healthcare through innovative care and research. The Foundation made a hallmark investment at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago to establish the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute in 2014. The Institute is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine, and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. When asked why he chose to make this gift to establish the Institute, Manne said, “I have always wanted to give something back to individuals who wish to rise above their challenges. I chose Lurie Children’s for this gift because I have personally seen children grow healthy through successful treatment at the hospital. These children are now adults who are making a difference in society.” Recently, Mr. Manne turned his philanthropic attention back to his roots at the Bronx High School of Science. Inspired by his brother and motivated to provide an opportunity for students in the Bronx, Mr. Manne worked with the Alumni Foundation of the Bronx High School of Science to initiate construction of a new science laboratory, The Stanley Manne ’52 Science Institute, which will both construct a new research facility as well as provide an open neighborhood space for the whole Bronx community to access. The donation from Mr. Manne is the largest individual gift to the Bronx High School of Science Alumni Foundation and the largest gift to a New York City public school. A longtime Chicago resident, it was imperative to Mr. Manne to give back to the Bronx, where he grew up. Mr. Manne and his wife Fern enjoy life and reside in both Chicago and Florida. Mr. Manne is actively trading and investing in both the market and the communities that matter most. It is anticipated he will get back to the Bronx more often as he mentors and meets with alumni and students during the construction of The Stanley Manne ’52 Science Institute.
Ronald S. Lauder is the younger son of Estée and Joseph Lauder and, like his brother, Leonard, learned the family business at the dinner table. He formally joined the company in 1964, beginning his career in the Oevel, Belgium factory. His executive roles began when he became General Manager of Clinique Laboratories in 1985, and he has served as Chairman since 1994. Mr. Lauder was instrumental in the creation of Prescriptives and served as Chairman of Estee Lauder International from 1992 to 2002. He also served as a member of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Board of Directors from 1968 to 1986 and 1988 to 2009. He was re-elected to the Board in November 2016. In 1983, Mr. Lauder took a leave from The Estée Lauder Companies to serve in the U.S. Pentagon as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Affairs. In 1986, he was appointed Ambassador to Austria by President Ronald Reagan. Upon his return from Vienna in 1987, he established the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, which now has 35 Jewish schools, kindergartens and summer camps throughout 15 countries in Eastern Europe. Over 7,500 children attend these schools today, and 2,500 children attend the summer camps. Over the years, the Foundation has educated more than 30,000 children in a region that was devoid of Jewish scholarship and has helped build thriving Jewish communities throughout this area. Mr. Lauder also created an International Student Exchange Program between Jewish high school students in New York and Vienna. In addition to his international interests, Mr. Lauder has long been committed to civic causes and public policy issues at home. A political activist on the state and national level, he was a contender for Mayor of New York City in 1989. In June 2007, Mr. Lauder was elected to lead the World Jewish Congress, and has served as the organization’s President ever since. In this capacity, Mr. Lauder meets with heads of countries, diplomats and religious leaders, representing Jewish communities in 100 countries around the world. In February of 1999, Mr. Lauder was elected Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. His selection by the Conference followed his election in 1997 as President of the Jewish National Fund of which he now serves as Chairman. Mr. Lauder also serves as Chairman of the International Public Committee of the World Jewish Restitution Organization; Chairman of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Committee; Chairman of the Jewish Heritage Council; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sakharov Archives at Brandeis University; Director of the International Board of Governors of the International Society for Yad Vashem; and is a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the Board of Directors of the Jewish Theological Seminary; the Board of Directors of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; the Board of Trustees of the Anti-Defamation League Foundation; the International Auschwitz Council; and the International Board of Governors of the Tel Aviv Museum. Mr. Lauder is the Founder and Chairman of the New York based Water Holding Group RWL Water, LLC, an international water company. He is also Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1998, Mr. Lauder co-founded the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation together with his brother, Leonard A. Lauder. They serve together as co-Chairmen of the Foundation. A renowned art collector, Mr. Lauder has established one of the world’s greatest private collections. He was Chairman of the Museum of Modern Art from 1995 to 2005 and now serves as the museum’s Honorary Chairman. In 2001, he established the Neue Galerie New York, of which he is President. The museum is dedicated to German and Austrian art. Mr. Lauder established the Commission for Art Recovery in 1997, which advocates and fights for the recovery of Nazi looted art. Among his honors, Mr. Lauder received the International Emmy Directorate Award by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2006. He received, together with his wife, Jo Carole Lauder, the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2011, and in 2013, Mr. Lauder was named an Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by President Hollande of France. He was decorated with Germany’s highest honor, the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit, in 2015 and was awarded the Guardian of Zion prize by the Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies at Bar Ilan University in 2016. Mr. Lauder also received honorary doctoral degrees from Ben Gurion University in 2009 and from Yeshiva University in 2011. Mr. Lauder was born on February 26, 1944. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in New York and holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He studied at the University of Paris and received a Certificate in International Business from the University of Brussels. Mr. Lauder married Jo Carole Knopf in July of 1967. They have two children and two grandchildren. The family resides in New York City.
Rose Marie Bravo was Vice Chairman of Burberry, the international luxury goods company with headquarters in London, until June 2007. From 1997 until 2006, while serving as the Chief Executive of the company, she and her team embarked on a repositioning of the brand with strategic initiatives in design, marketing, merchandising, licensing, wholesale and retail distribution. Prior to her appointment at Burberry, Ms. Bravo was President of Saks Fifth Avenue from 1992 to 1997, with responsibility for merchandising, marketing and product development. She also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Saks Holdings Inc. From 1974 to 1992, Ms. Bravo held positions of increasing responsibility at R.H.Macy and Co; culminating with her 1987 to 1992 tenure as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the I. Magnin speciality division. She began her retailing career at Abraham & Strauss in 1971. In recognition of her services promoting British fashion, Rose Marie Bravo was named a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in June 2006. Additionally, The Council of Fashion Designers of America, The National Italian American Foundation, March of Dimes, City of Hope, Fordham University and Phoenix House have honoured Ms. Bravo for excellence in fashion and retailing. She has served on the board of Williams-Sonoma from 2011 to 2018, Tiffany & Co. from 1997 to 2020 The Estee Lauder Companies from 2003 to 2022.
Atom Awards
The Atom Awards recognize alumni for the profound impact they have made in their industry and the ways in which their contributions have helped advance their field.
Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind is an international figure in architecture and urban design. Informed by a deep commitment to music, philosophy, and literature, Mr. Libeskind aims to create architecture that is resonant, original, and sustainable. Libeskind established his architectural studio in Berlin, Germany, in 1989 after winning the competition to build the Jewish Museum in Berlin. In February 2003, Studio Libeskind moved its headquarters from Berlin to New York City to oversee the master plan for the World Trade Center redevelopment, which is being realized in Lower Manhattan today. Daniel Libeskind’s practice is involved in designing and realizing a diverse array of urban, cultural and commercial projects around the globe. The Studio has completed buildings that range from museums and concert halls to convention centers, university buildings, hotels, shopping centers and residential towers. As Principal Design Architect for Studio Libeskind, Mr. Libeskind speaks widely on the art of architecture in universities and professional summits. His architecture and ideas have been the subject of many articles and exhibitions, influencing the field of architecture and the development of cities and culture.
Dr. Wanda M. Austin is an American businesswoman who is internationally recognized for her work in aeronautics and systems engineering. She is co-founder of MakingSpace, Inc., a systems engineering and leadership development consultant and motivational speaker. She served as interim president of the University of Southern California for the 2018-2019 academic year, and led the institution through a crucial transition period. She is the former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the application of science and technology toward critical issues affecting the nation's space program. From January 2008 until October 2016, Austin led the organization's 3,600 employees and managed annual revenues of $950 million at 17 U.S. locations. As the sixth president, she was the first woman and the first African American in the 57-year history of the organization. Austin served on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology until January 2017, advising the President of the United States in areas where an understanding of science, technology and innovation was key to forming effective U.S. policy. Austin was a member of the Defense Science Board and the NASA Advisory Council. She is an honorary fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a life trustee for the University of Southern California, an independent director for Amgen and Virgin Galactic and Lead Independent Director for Chevron. Growing up in New York City, Austin attended The Bronx High School of Science, then earned a B.A. in mathematics from Franklin & Marshall College, M.S. degrees in systems engineering and mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh and a Ph.D. in systems engineering from the University of Southern California. Austin's professional achievements and honors include the National Intelligence Medallion for Meritorious Service, the Air Force Scroll of Achievement, the National Reconnaissance Office Gold Medal, the AIAA Godard Astronautics Award, the Career Communications Group Black Engineer of the Year Award, the Horatio Alger Award, the Bob Hope Distinguished Citizen Award, the National Defense Industrial Association Peter B. Teets Industry Award, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award. The University of Southern California awarded her its Distinguished Alumni Award, an honorary doctorate, and its highest honor, the Presidential Medallion. Austin is committed to inspiring the next generation to study the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines and to focus on careers in science and engineering. She is the author of Making Space: Strategic Leadership for a Complex World, which explores the leadership principles she learned during her decades-long journey as an engineer, space industry executive, daughter, wife and mother.
Yancopoulos takes an unusually hands-on approach to drug discovery, serving as lead inventor and developer of Regeneron’s medicines, including Eylea® and Dupixent®, which have collectively helped millions of people around the world. He and his team have delivered additional important medicines such as Praluent®, Libtayo®, and the first antibody cocktail treatments for Ebola and COVID-19 in rapid response to emerging public health threats. George has also worked with his team to develop the underlying technologies that support and expedite Regeneron’s drug discovery, including the VelociGene® "knockout" platform, the VelocImmune® human antibody mouse, and the Veloci-Bi™ bispecific antibody creation platform. During his career, Yancopoulos has been among the most-cited scientists in the world, with landmark publications pertaining to the cloning and biology of numerous growth factors and their receptors (from the Neurotrophins, Angiopoietins, and Ephrins to the CNTF receptor and the Agrin receptor, MUSK), on the elucidation of the mechanism of action of the cytokine class of receptors, and other findings leading to the development of Regeneron's medicines and technologies. His team continues to pursue cutting-edge research, including through the Regeneron Genetics Center, a world-leading effort that has sequenced the exomes of approximately two million people and paired this information with de-identified medical records in the quest to identify new and improved treatment options. Yancopoulos is a first-generation Greek-American who grew up in NYC, attending public schools and graduating as valedictorian of both the Bronx High School of Science and Columbia University. Yancopoulos then received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from Columbia University. At Columbia, he was one of legendary geneticist Dr. Fred Alt's first doctoral students. Yancopoulos was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences in 2004 and into the Biotech Hall of Fame in 2014. He and Dr. Schleifer were named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016. In 2020, Yancopoulos was named by Fortune as one of the “World’s 25 Greatest Leaders: Heroes of The Pandemic.” His leadership of company culture has also been recognized, with Regeneron routinely listed as a top employer by Science, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company and others. In 2022, Regeneron was awarded the prestigious Prix Galien USA Best Biotechnology Product for Inmazeb®. Yancopoulos often notes that his interest in science is a direct result of his high school experiences in science projects and science fairs. Thus, Yancopoulos drives Regeneron’s commitment to STEM education, and spearheaded the company’s becoming the primary sponsor for the world’s leading high school science competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS; formerly the Westinghouse and Intel STS) and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF; formerly the Intel ISEF). Regeneron has committed over $100 million to support these programs.
Jon Favreau began his career as an actor in the 1990s, landing a role in the film “Rudy”. Favreau then established himself as a writer with the independent comedy “Swingers.” Since then, he has continued to challenge himself as a filmmaker and innovator, pioneering cutting-edge technology and production techniques. Favreau is currently showrunner and executive producer of “The Mandalorian” for Disney+ and has served as executive producer for “The Book of Boba Fett,” as well as the upcoming Star Wars series “Ahsoka” and “Skeleton Crew.” Favreau has always been a fan of Star Wars and has acted in both the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” animated series and in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” Favreau’s most recent project was the docu-series “Prehistoric Planet” for Apple TV and the BBC, for which he acted as executive producer. The five-episode series, narrated by broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough has been nominated for a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information. “The Book of Boba Fett” and the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” have garnered a total 43 Emmy Award nominations. “The Mandalorian” has won 14 Emmys as well as numerous nominations and awards from American Film Institute, Writers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, British Academy of Television Awards, American Society of Cinematographers, Visual Effects Society, Art Directors Guild, Motion Picture Sound Editors, Cinema Audio Society, Costume Designers Guild, MTV Movie & TV Awards, Satellite Awards, Saturn Awards, Hugo Awards, Critics Choice, Gold Derby Awards, and the Hollywood Critics Association, among others. As an integral part of the formation and expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Favreau directed the blockbuster hits “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2,” which grossed a combined $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office. He served as executive producer on “The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which grossed a combined $2.9 billion worldwide before serving as executive producer on 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” followed by “Avengers: Endgame,” which became the highest grossing film of all time at the world worldwide box office. On screen, Favreau portrays Happy Hogan, a character that appears in both the “Iron Man” and “Spider-Man” entries in the MCU. For Disney, Favreau directed and produced 2016's adaptation of Walt Disney’s “The Jungle Book,” which garnered widespread acclaim as a marvel of technology-driven cinematic storytelling, honoring the original 1967 animated classic. The epic adventure earned Favreau's team an Oscar® and the BAFTA Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, five VES Awards, and an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation in a Live Action Production. In 2019, Favreau directed and produced a reimagining of “The Lion King,” which grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide, with Favreau and his team earning accolades for pioneering virtual filmmaking techniques to bring the film's treasured characters to life in striking photoreal CGI. After writing, directing, producing, and starring in the 2014 indie hit “Chef,” Favreau executive produced and directed “The Chef Show” for Netflix. The series follows Favreau and chef Roy Choi as they explore food in and out of the kitchen with other accomplished chefs and friends. Favreau’s additional directing credits include “Cowboys & Aliens,” starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford; “Zathura: A Space Adventure,” starring Josh Hutcherson, Tim Robbins and Dax Shepard; the crime comedy “Made,” which he starred in opposite Vince Vaughn; and the acclaimed perennial holiday family-favorite, “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell. In front of the camera, Favreau has acted in scores of projects, including Martin Scorcese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” He portrayed legendary heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, in the biopic “Rocky Marciano.” His television credits include “Seinfeld,” a recurring role on “Friends” and a special appearance on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” playing himself. Among his many honors, Favreau was inducted into Variety's Home Entertainment & Digital Hall of Fame in 2016. He received the Visual Effects Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, was named a Disney Legend in 2019, and was honored with the 2021 Commitment to California Award. Favreau received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023, marking his contribution to television.
Min Jin Lee is the author of the novels Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko, a finalist for the National Book Award and runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Lee is the recipient of the 2022 Manhae Grand Prize for Literature, Bucheon Diaspora Literary Prize, and the Samsung Happiness for Tomorrow Prize for Creativity from South Korea and fellowships in Fiction from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. She is an inductee of the New York Foundation for the Arts Hall of Fame and the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. She is a Writer-in-Residence at Amherst College and serves as a trustee of PEN America and a director of the Authors Guild. She is at work on her third novel, American Hagwon and a nonfiction work, Name Recognition.
Dr. Lisa T. Su is chair and chief executive officer of AMD. Prior to serving as president and CEO, she was the chief operating officer responsible for integrating AMD’s business units, sales, global operations and infrastructure enablement teams into a single market-facing organization responsible for all aspects of product strategy and execution. Dr. Su joined AMD in January 2012 as senior vice president and general manager, global business units and was responsible for driving end-to-end business execution of AMD products and solutions. Prior to joining AMD, Dr. Su served as senior vice president and general manager, Networking and Multimedia at Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (a semiconductor manufacturing company) and was responsible for global strategy, marketing and engineering for the company’s embedded communications and applications processor business. Dr. Su joined Freescale in 2007 as chief technology officer, where she led the company’s technology roadmap and research and development efforts. Dr. Su spent the previous 13 years at IBM in various engineering and business leadership positions, including vice president of the Semiconductor Research and Development Center responsible for the strategic direction of IBM’s silicon technologies, joint development alliances and semiconductor R&D operations. Prior to IBM, she was a member of the technical staff at Texas Instruments Inc. in the Semiconductor Process and Device Center from 1994 to 1995. Dr. Su has bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She has published more than 40 technical articles and was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers in 2009. In 2018, Dr. Su was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and received the Global Semiconductor Association’s Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award. In 2020, Fortune named Dr. Su #2 on its “Business Person of the Year” list, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Science, and received the Grace Hopper Technical Leadership Abie Award. In 2021, she was recognized by the IEEE with its highest semiconductor honor, the Robert N. Noyce Medal, and was appointed by President Biden to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. She has been a member of the board of directors of Cisco Systems, Inc., since January 2020 and also serves on the board of directors for the Semiconductor Industry Association.