Fall 2026 Q&As

Christopher Beem, J. Robert Oppenheimer Visiting Professor in the School of Natural Sciences, is a theoretical physicist and mathematician who specializes in the study of quantum field theories. In this Q&A, he discusses the reciprocal relationship between quantum field theory and pure math, the potential impact of AI in his field, and his return to IAS for a second Membership.

Debjani Bhattacharyya, Robbert Dijkgraaf Member in the School of Historical Studies, is a historian of environment and climate. In this Q&A, she discusses her interest in the relationship between weather and financial risk, along with her analysis of sources from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to better understand this connection.

Shuli Chen, Member in the School of Mathematics, works in geometric analysis, studying how curvature constrains the possible shape of space. In this Q&A, she discusses the role of minimal surfaces in her research, the childhood fascination with the universe that led her to scalar curvature, and her passion for historical detective work.

Yingyao Wang, Wolfensohn Family Member in the School of Social Science, is a sociologist who studies how political institutions and social networks shape economic development. In this Q&A, Wang discusses her project on Chinese investment in Southeast Asia, the globalization of China studies, and why she is looking forward to winter at IAS.