Institute for Advanced Study

IAS Shaping the Field: Gravitational Waves

Scholars from the School of Natural Sciences are leading investigations into the sources of gravitational wave signals, the unexpectedly high frequency of detections, and—extending beyond these direct questions—establishing innovative and unexpected connections between gravitational wave research and particle collider physics. These contributions are redefining our understanding of the field.

Video

Oppenheimer in the Institute for Advanced Study Archive

In this episode of Institute Instances, Caitlin Rizzo, Archivist at the Institute for Advanced Study's Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center, highlights the role she played in bringing Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer to life, and how the film has provided opportunities to share stories not only about the former IAS Director, but about the people around him who helped to push the boundaries of knowledge.

IAS News

Derek Bermel Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters

February 28, 2025

Derek Bermel, IAS Artist-in-Residence (2009–13), has been named a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for “notable achievement” in the field of music. Bermel's time at IAS inspired a number of significant compositions, including “A Short History of the Universe (as related by Nima Arkani-Hamed),” which presents a musical interpretation of gravity.

idea

Can AI Teach Science?

Motivated by the growing interest in using artificial intelligence for teaching purposes, IAS scholars from the Schools of Mathematics and Natural Sciences have conducted an innovative study to assess the correctness and helpfulness of large language models in STEM education. Their research yielded surprising results, including highlighting the importance of training models on pedagogical conversations rather than textbooks.

IAS News

Prominent Aerial Archaeologist Appointed Member of the Order of Australia

February 13, 2025

David Leslie Kennedy, Member (1986–87, 2004) and frequent Visitor in the School of Historical Studies, was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his "significant service to archaeology as a researcher and academic." Kennedy's many notable contributions to the discipline include his establishment of the Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East, a project designed to discover, record, monitor, and document settlement history in the Near East.

The New York Times

A Mathematician Who Makes the Best of Things

February 14, 2025

Alessio Figalli, Member in the School of Mathematics, investigates optimal transport, a field with deep theoretical roots and far-reaching applications, including to machine learning. Figalli recently sat down with frequent Director's Visitor Siobhan Roberts for a The New York Times interview about his work, which also touched on the importance of free thinking in research.

Home