About the institution
Advance shared knowledge of Earth and its surroundings through observation, research and exploration, and make the resulting science useful and accessible.
Foundation46 brings together public research institutions, observing facilities and expedition teams. It maintains common scientific standards, supports environmental monitoring and operates research infrastructure across participating regions. Its programmes serve researchers, public agencies and communities as well as crews working beyond Earth.
The Foundation supports work whose scale or continuity requires institutions to cooperate. Its responsibilities include maintaining common observing standards, coordinating research infrastructure, selecting scientific expeditions and preserving a public record of their findings.
Foundation46 works alongside universities, national laboratories and public agencies. It does not replace their responsibilities or determine the outcome of their research.
Director-General
Leena Okafor is an environmental physicist whose research and programme leadership span ocean observation, field instrumentation and shared scientific infrastructure. She holds a doctorate in environmental physics. Before becoming Director-General, she led multinational observing programmes that combined satellite measurements with local field records. She oversees the Foundation's scientific portfolio, international partnerships and public accountability.
Director of Research
Rafael Ibarra is an astrophysicist specializing in precision astronomical measurement and instrument calibration. He holds a doctorate in astrophysics and has led cross-observatory programmes comparing independent measurements and reference models. As Director of Research, he oversees scientific review, programme coordination and the integrity of published data across the Foundation's Earth and exploration work.
A council of participating public institutions approves programme priorities and appoints the Director-General. Independent scientific panels review research proposals; procurement and safety reviews remain separate from scientific selection. Regional partners operate facilities under published agreements.
Geneva hosts the permanent secretariat. Offices in Nairobi, Houston, Santiago and Singapore support the observing network, research partners and field programs.
Governance and accountability →
Our offices and responsibilities →
Institutional history →
Foundation46 publishes programme information, institutional records and expedition findings through this archive. Research teams retain the source evidence behind each release and publish corrections when an interpretation changes.
Historical Earth imagery retains its source identity, location and institutional credit. It is catalogued separately from current expedition observations. Image credits and source records identify each photograph.