One such project, completed last year, is an electronic digital computing machine. Constructed in the Institute's only laboratory, the machine took an unestablished conjecture of 19th century mathematician E. E. Kummer, performed the 20,000,000 necessary multiplications, and after six hours, came up with the answer. The machine is part of an Institute project to forecast the weather accurately--perhaps two years in advance.
In charge of this project is John vou Neumann, an Hungarian mathematician who joined the Institute in 1933. Von Neumann is only one of the many members who have come to the Institute from Europe or Asia. This year an estimated one-half of the eighty-one members are from outside the U. S. The requirement of a Doctor's degree is waived in the case of Europeans if they have their country's approximate equivalent.
Mathematics Barrier
One member of the Historical School pointed out that though the language difficulty can generally be overcome in his department, there is a problem in semantics among the mathematicians. "I thought before I came here that all mathematicians spoke the same language. Since, I have found that with the current high degree of specialization, most of them don't know what the others are talking about." It is the inevitable broadening effects of the program as well as quiet and peace for further study which members praise in the institute.
Some men like Professor Morse combine interests in both departments of the school. Morse counts a musicologist at the Institute among his closest friends, and on one occasion of Robert Frost's birthday, wrote an article relating mathematics and the arts.
Free Time
It is impossible to judge the progress of members at the Institute since the administration loads professors with neither restrictions nor requirements. Sometimes the product, as in the case of Eliot's play or von Neumann's calculator, is proof of time well-spent. In general, the permanent members can only trust their judgment to select men who will take full advantage of Institute facilities. Sojourns from the town of Princeton are encouraged, however, and Professor Miller has accepted several speaking engagements for the year, including a recent address on Yale's Jonathan Edwards Day.
As may be expected in such an informal program, day-to-day pace is uneventful. The Institute serves luncheon, and dinner, and afternoon tea provides a convenient meeting time for professors who are buried the rest of the day in a library. Also provided is transportation between the institute and the town of Princeton since Advanced Study's buildings are about two miles from the University.
For some men the Institute for Advanced Study is a vacation, but they miss the undergraduate and the pleasures of teaching. Others, preferring the life of research, stay on as permanent members. But everyone associated with the Institute enjoys pointing out how this experiment differs from other colleges and institutions. "We have," they not proudly, "no deans, no football team, no tuition."