A note to our community about the passing of Singularity Fellow Dr. Nicholas Haan

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of longtime collaborator and Singularity Fellow for Governance, Dr. Nicholas Haan. Alongside our grief, we feel gratitude for the life he lived.

To our community, Nick was a colleague, a friend, a mentor, and a visionary. To the world, he was a dynamic force who refused to believe that the world’s biggest challenges were unsolvable. For us at Singularity, Nick embodied our mission.

Until his passing, Nick served as the Singularity Fellow for Governance, championing a future shaped by emerging technologies with ethics at the center. His legacy as an advocate for, and engineer of, impact-driven change runs deep. When serving as the Managing Director of the Global Solutions Program, and co-designing its curriculum, he taught and coached brilliant participants to leverage exponential technology to solve global challenges. In another of his previous roles, as Vice President of Impact, he fostered Singularity's partnerships with the World Food Programme and UNICEF.

Listing Nick’s titles only shares a glimpse into what he accomplished. His professional genius was rooted in the dirt, the water, and the people he loved.

Originally from California, Nick developed a strong connection to East Africa. For over 30 years, he lived and worked across Africa, primarily in Kenya and Tanzania. He spoke Kiswahili fluently, and immersed himself in a region and communities that many development experts only view from a distance. He created the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global standard of analysis for food insecurity. He helped launch Field Ready, bringing digital manufacturing technologies directly to disaster zones. And he co-founded Kizo Africa to empower youth, aligned with his fierce belief that the next generation of African leaders held the keys to the digital era.

Nick brought his experience and perspectives to all of the Singularity programs he taught, and generously shared his expertise. Many of our alumni have noted that his insights were pivotal to their career trajectory.

Yet, if you asked Nick where he felt most alive, he would say the water. An adventurer with a deep respect for nature’s power, he was an avid swimmer and expedition kayaker. With his kayak partner, he made history as the first to paddle the entire lengths of Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana. The stories he told of kayaking along crocodiles were imbued with a sense of wonder, not fear. Whether tackling a global crisis or navigating a remote lake, Nick was always willing to paddle into the unknown.

Later, he found his sanctuary in Zanzibar, living right next to the ocean he loved. His home was a gathering place and Nick was known as a generous host. His door was always open to the friends he had collected from every corner of the globe. He was the loyal friend who, despite a schedule that spanned continents, always found the time to connect, to support, and to be present.

Above all, Nick was a man of deep love for his family. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Mariam, and a beloved brother to his sisters, Annie and Mary Catherine. He has now gone to rest with his beloved late parents and sister, whose values helped shape who he was.

Dr. Nicholas Haan taught us that "impact" is not just about data or technology. It is about courage. The courage to kayak with crocodiles, the courage to learn a new language, and the courage to believe the world can be better than it is today.

Nick’s friends have set up a page to share memories, stories, and messages here.

Singularity exists in the spaces between the people that make up its community. In the fabric of our community, Nick's absence will be deeply felt. We will miss his wisdom, his laugh, and his adventurous spirit.