Scholar Spotlight

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.

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 Douglas Flowe who is a Member in the School of Historical Studies. He discusses his work on incarceration and the influences he had in life to follow this path.

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.

Richard Schwartz loves simple questions. Here, he discusses the benefits of intellectual enterprise and how the quest to answer fundamental questions underpins his work. His passion for explaining math simply inspired a series of children's books.

Sonja van Wichelen is focused on bioscience governance and global inequality—a particularly important topic to understand in the midst of a pandemic. She talks about her father’s inspiration and her hope for a more equitable society.

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.

How do we teach something we don’t yet know? In today’s Scholar Spotlight, Historical Studies Member Anna Bokov discusses her research on architecture and design pedagogy, the pursuit of truth and beauty, and breaking the rules (and making your own). 

Ask yourself this question: Can one hear the shape of a drum?

In this episode of Scholar Spotlight, mathematician and number theorist Terrence Blackman discusses his quest to expand understanding in the realm of spectroscopy. Learn about the strides Terrence is making in both spectral geometry and in surfacing the important work of African American mathematicians through his upcoming book showcasing their contributions to the field.

Learn how a comparative literature class on the Vikings ignited a scholar’s passion for Medieval Studies an ocean away in Puerto Rico.

In this episode of Scholar Spotlight, historian Nahir Ivette Otaño Gracia explains how her research on Medieval...