Ideas

Sophie Lund Schrøder is a Member in the School of Natural Sciences. She will spend her time at IAS applying numerical methods and analytic modeling to study high-energy astrophysical phenomena, especially evolution of stellar binaries.

In the wake of the first image release, past Member Nadia Zakamska, whose research group has been involved with JWST since 2017, provides a deeper understanding of the telescope’s significance and reflects on her role in gathering and analyzing early release data.

In this Scholar Spotlight we feature three former scholars: Michael Hanchard (Social Science), Jo Nelson (Mathematics), and Tracy Slatyer (Natural Sciences). They explain how and why the environment at IAS nourishes independent thinkers and prompts scholars to ask questions that push the boundaries of knowledge.

Past Members in the School of Natural SciencesRobert J. Vanderbei (2019–20) and Michael A. Strauss (1991–95), along with Neil deGrasse Tyson and J. Richard Gott, have authored a unique journey into the cosmos titled Welcome to the Universe in 3D: A Visual Tour, the fourth in a series of astrophysical tours for Princeton University Press. 

In this Scholar Spotlight we feature Hofie Sigridar Hannesdottir, a Member in the School of Natural Sciences. She shares what inspired her to study elementary particles and what she hopes to learn about our universe.

In this Scholar Spotlight we feature Sukanya Chakrabarti who was a Member in the School of Natural Sciences earlier this year. She talks about her work on galactic dynamics and why fundamental research is important.

Jo Dunkley is an astrophysicist who studies the origins and evolution of the universe. In this short video she explains how her love of mathematics helped her realize that math tools can help us find answers to questions about our world.

Nadia Zakamska, returning Member in the School of Natural Sciences, is an astrophysicist studying a variety of astronomical wonders, ranging from extrasolar planets to extragalactic astronomy. Her current research focuses on long-standing puzzles in...

In colloquial speech the word “duality” connotes two contrasting facets of a single entity, often at odds with one another. The concept is anthropomorphized in mythology by deities or monsters with multiple faces, like the two-faced Janus, Roman god of doorways. It is also enshrined in pop culture in the double visages of Jekyll and Hyde, and in the Batman villain Harvey Dent (alias Two-Face). In physics and mathematics, the concept of “duality” takes on a more positive connotation because of its ubiquity, utility, and power. 

Smart algorithms allow calculations that could have never been done even on the world’s fastest computer today.