Royal Institution for its founding were given by the Society for Bettering the Conditions and Improving the Comforts of the Poor, under the guidance of philanthropist Sir Thomas Bernard and American-born British scientist Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford. Since its founding it has been based at 21 Albemarle Street in Mayfair. Its Royal Charter was granted in 1800. Throughout its history, the Institution has supported public engagement with science through a programme of lectures, many of which continue today. The most famous of these are the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, founded by Michael Faraday. The Royal Institution was founded as the
Lucille Davy retain Davy as acting commissioner while he led a national search for a new commissioner, a search which included Davy. When he appointed Davy to the post, he said her work as acting commissioner convinced him to select her for the permanent post. Davy is a lifelong New Jersey resident and grew up in Livingston, New Jersey where she was a graduate of Livingston High School. She graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, and she received her law degree from the Notre Dame Law School. She and her husband reside in Pennington, New