Ahead of the ribbon cutting for Rubenstein Commons, the Institute’s newest campus building, a capacity crowd gathered at IAS to hear renowned biographer Walter Isaacson in conversation with Institute Trustee and PeertoPeer Conversations moderator David Rubenstein.

The dialogue centered on the great minds that form the subject of Isaacson’s many biographies, highlighting how these eminent figures often blur the boundaries between art and science.

As well as considering the life and legacy of past Institute Faculty member Albert Einstein, Isaacson and Rubenstein reflected on how Leonardo da Vinci’s dissection of an eye informed his painting of the Mona Lisa and how Apple cofounder Steve Jobs insisted that the hidden interiors of his computers be as aesthetically appealing as their shells.

Wolfensohn Hall, Institute for Advanced Study, 1 Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ

May 5, 2023