Reflecting on my IAS Fellowship, what resonates most deeply is the exceptional care I received for professional and intellectual growth—by making the most out of my time here. The Institute of Advanced Study has cultivated an environment in which thinking is not merely facilitated but actively nourished—a research-driven ecosystem that balances rigor with a rare form of intellectual well-being. This paced wellness for the mind allowed me to work, learn, and reflect in sustained depth.

Creative artistic activities have been part of human life for millennia, supporting the expression of identity and strengthening social bonds while also contributing to physical and mental wellbeing. Since the emergence of music and creative arts therapies after the First World War in the UK and Europe, the health benefits of the arts have been increasingly recognised across the world.

Durham’s Institute of Advanced Study is described as a home for growing big ideas: a vibrant space that offers time, community and intellectual freedom for exploring questions that cross disciplinary boundaries.

Stepping into the Institute of Advanced Study felt like crossing a threshold—not into a new university, but into a new way of seeing my own. For six years, Durham has been the backdrop to my academic life, familiar lecture halls, well-trodden paths, and research routines that felt almost second nature.

I first became aware of the IAS when my DU colleague, Professor Catherine Montgomery, approached me about a fellowship to work on a project called 'Surfacing knowledge from Doctoral Research: mining the hidden potential of international doctoral theses', along with Professor Carolina Guzman-Valenzuela from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, and Dr Craig Stewart from DU.

A highlight of my time as an IAS Fellow at Durham University was the Absence/Prescence of Durham’s Black History walking tour, co-organized by IAS co-Director and Anthropology Professor Nayanika Mookherjee. Prior to the walking tour, I had visited the Cathedral twice, once on a tour with Cathedral staff organized by IAS, and once by myself, during which time I lingered in the exhibit on the Magna Carta.

Earlier this year, as I stood before members and affiliates of the IAS to present my work as part of this year’s Sir Harry Evans Fellowship, I wasn't quite prepared for how quickly “here's what I found” would turn into “wait, how did you not get killed?" My reporting had revealed a brazen campaign of organized crime and political influence in Palau, a geopolitical battleground between America and China in the Pacific

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a critical public health issue, linked to approximately 100 deaths per hour and equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. In the UK, one in ten workers often feel lonely at work, and almost half of the workforce experiences loneliness at work some of the time. The IAS Major Project, Arts Engagement and Mental Health at Work, examines how artistic engagement can foster social connection and support mental health among working adults.

Dr Margarita Staykova, IAS Co-Director, Faculty of Science, details the ECR initiatives at the IAS

Professor Louise Barrett explores the power of interdisciplinary research

We have an exciting year of projects ahead of us, and a number of events coming up this term to highlight for you.

Dr Kateryna Ivashchenko-Stadnik investigates the origins, meaning and applications of interdisciplinarity in academia