News

This spring, a vibrant series celebrating the art of musical collaboration will take place at IAS, featuring five programs of artistic encounter from around the world. The series, hosted in Wolfensohn Hall, will comprise concerts, lecture-demonstrations, and conversations, featuring an array of acclaimed, international performers.

A number of past scholars affiliated with the Institute's School of Mathematics have been honored as part of the 2026 American Mathematical Society (AMS) Awards. Their research spans fields ranging from geometric representation theory and its applications to number theory to work on the nonlinear Schrödinger equation.

A recent article in The Independent highlights a striking new astronomical discovery by a team led by Nadia Zakamska, Member in the School of Natural Sciences: a “mystery object” several times the mass of Jupiter or larger, orbited by a giant metallic wind cloud.

Irit Dveer Dinur, Betsey Lombard Overdeck Theory of Computing Professor in the School of Mathematics, has been announced as the recipient of the National Academy of Sciences' 2026 Michael and Sheila Held Prize, together with her four collaborators—each a former IAS Member.

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has announced that Molly J. Crockett, Member (2025–26) in the School of Social Science, is a recipient of a 2026 Troland Research Award. Crockett, a cognitive scientist, has, in the words of NAS, "redefined our understanding of moral cognition."

Mario Draghi, IAS Trustee since 1998, has been announced as the 2026 laureate of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards granted in Europe, the Prize recognizes “outstanding personalities who have made a significant contribution to peace, unity, and cooperation in Europe.”

Five past scholars from the School of Natural Sciences have been named as recipients in the American Astronomical Society (AAS) 2026 Awards and Prizes for “outstanding achievements in research and education.” Their research spans a wide range of topics, including the formation, structure, and evolution of galaxies, as well as the study of relativistic deflection.

Building on decades of effort, Lizhong Zhang, Member (2023–24) in the School of Natural Sciences; James Stone, Professor in the School; and a team of astrophysicists have achieved a major milestone: developing the most comprehensive model to date of luminous black hole accretion. Their breakthrough allows scholars to "observe" such black hole systems not through a telescope, but through a computer.

Cathy N. Davidson, Visitor in the School of Social Science, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education, for her work as a "leading voice in digital literacy, learning science, and interdisciplinary innovation."

According to a recent article from Quanta Magazine, researchers working at the frontier of quantum physics have uncovered a “puzzling conundrum.” The story began nearly three decades ago, when Juan Maldacena, Carl P. Feinberg Professor in the School of Natural Sciences, demonstrated that complex calculations in string theory could be dramatically simplified using concepts from particle physics through a “holographic” correspondence.