Ideas

The option to choose where to live, what to buy, and what to believe has been neither universally available nor consistently desired throughout history. Sophia Rosenfeld, Ed Kaufmann Founders' Circle Member (2014–15) in the School of Social Science, traces the evolution of choice from the seventeenth century to today, asking how it has become a defining feature of modern freedom.

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 conversations rather than textbooks.

In the cognitive revolution, psychologists, recognizing that developments in information processing had potential for studying the human mind, sought for the first time to apply new ideas in early artificial intelligence, computer science, and neuroscience to psychology. The Institute, as the home of one of the first modern computers, was uniquely poised to serve as a hub for this nascent field of study.

Beatrix Muehlmann, Member in the School of Natural Sciences, is curious about the origin and fate of the universe. In this Q&A, she details her efforts to describe gravity through the principles of quantum mechanics, her admiration for mathematical physicist and frequent IAS Visitor Emmy Noether, and the joy found in researching fundamental questions.

Thanks to gig workers, your favorite meal can be delivered to your door using GrubHub and you can quickly hail a ride across town with Uber. Looking beyond convenience, Lindsey D. Cameron, Member (2023–24) in the School of Social Science, investigates the significant human impact of this ever-growing gig-economy. 

Peter Sarnak, Professor Emeritus in the School of Mathematics, has emerged as a pivotal "connector" between the fields of pure math and computer science. His legacy reveals how seemingly esoteric mathematical investigations can yield unexpected and transformative insights.

E. Tendayi Achiume, Ashvin B. Chhabra and Daniela Bonafede-Chhabra Member in the School of Social Science, focuses on the international legal frameworks that govern migration, racism, and xenophobia. In this Q&A, she highlights IAS scholars who have influenced her work, the value of collaboration, and how she plans to expand her scope of analysis beyond nation states during her time at IAS.

A cooperation between the American University in Cairo (AUC) and five academic institutions, including IAS, has seen a rare archive documenting the al-Khanji family's cultural impact on early twentieth-century Cairo transferred to AUC. The archive contains particularly valuable material for Islamic manuscript studies and provenance history.