"the institute is pledged to assemble a group of scientists and scholars who with their pupils and assistants may devote themselves to the task of pushing beyond the limits of human knowledge and to training those who may "carry on" in this sense." mission statement of the institute for advanced study by founding director abraham flexner, organization meeting, october 10, 1930. The institute is a private, independent academic institution located in princeton, new jersey. It was founded in 1930 by philanthropists louis bamberger and his sister caroline bamberger FULD, and established through the vision of the founding director abraham flexner. Past faculty have included albert einstein, who remained at the institute until his death in 1955, and distinguished scientists and scholars such as KURT godel, j. Robert oppenheimer, erwin panofsky, hetty goldman, homer a. Thompson, JOHN VON neumann, george kennan, hermann WEYL and clifford geertz.