Short Answer
The Program for Evolutionary Dynamics (PED) at Harvard was a mathematical biology research center that Epstein endowed with $6.5 million in 2003, allowing him to serve on the program’s advisory board and affiliate himself with Harvard. Harvard returned the donations in 2019 following Epstein’s arrest.
In Detail
In 2003, Jeffrey Epstein donated $6.5 million to Harvard University to establish the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, a research initiative led by mathematical biologist Martin Nowak. The program studies the mathematical and evolutionary principles behind biological phenomena including cancer, cooperation, and language.
Martin Nowak
Nowak, a Harvard professor in the departments of Mathematics and Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, was the primary recipient of Epstein’s scientific patronage at the university. He and Epstein shared an apparent intellectual interest in evolutionary dynamics, game theory, and the mathematics of altruism. Nowak has stated he was unaware of the full extent of Epstein’s criminal conduct and that he believed the donation was legitimate scientific philanthropy.
What Epstein Got
The donation gave Epstein an official advisory board seat on the program, a Harvard affiliation he referenced in his biography, and access to academic networks. He hosted Nowak and other researchers at his properties and used the Harvard connection to enhance his credibility as an intellectual patron. The affiliation appeared on his business documentation and helped him gain introductions to other scientists and institutions.
Harvard’s Response
For years, Harvard received the donation without public scrutiny. After Epstein’s 2008 conviction, the university declined to accept further donations but did not return the original gift, which provoked criticism. Following his 2019 arrest, Harvard president Lawrence Bacow announced a review. The university ultimately acknowledged receiving approximately $9 million from Epstein over the years, including the PED donation, and said the funds had been expended on research and could not be returned, though additional unspent funds were directed to victim services organizations.
The Broader Lesson
The PED case became emblematic of how Epstein used academic donations to purchase legitimacy while universities failed to investigate donor backgrounds adequately.