Chen Ning Yang

In a retrospective focused on Chen Ning Yang, Member (1949–54) and Professor (1955–66) in the School of Mathematics/Natural Sciences, who passed away in 2025, Stephen L. Adler, Professor Emeritus in the School of Natural Sciences, traces Yang’s life and landmark work—from Ising magnetization and the Lee–Yang theorem to parity violation and Yang–Mills theory—highlighting ideas that shaped today’s Standard Model.

In welcome remarks delivered to the 2025–26 class of IAS scholars, Director and Leon Levy Professor David Nirenberg reflected on the Institute’s role as "a special place" dedicated to discovery. He emphasized how the Institute's history, culture of solitude and community, and spirit of dialogue create an environment where scholars can push the boundaries of knowledge.