The fellows, most of whom are professors, have left teaching obligations behind for the year to pursue other interests, and most say they are enjoying the experience.

“This has been a tremendous opportunity for me,” says Eanna Flanagan, a fellow this year who is an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Cornell University. “At Cornell, I am a standard professor and there are so many demands on my time that I can’t focus on my research. Here I get to spend all my time talking to people about physics.”

And this diverse group of scientists say their conversations often explore unexpected territory.

The “critical mass” of science fellows gathered at Radcliffe this year encouraged increased collaboration, Flanagan says.

“In this relaxed setting it was possible for each of us to get a good introduction to different fields from our own areas of expertise,” Randall says.

A New Language

Though the occasional scientist has come through Radcliffe’s gates, this year’s science cluster marks a significant change from past years, when science scholarship received far less attention than work in the humanities and the arts.

The cluster has also helped to bridge the gap between science and the humanities at Radcliffe by bringing together academics and experts in fields who normally might not encounter one another in a professional setting.

“This is the first time since graduate school where I would be in an environment where I interact with people not physicists,” Bousso says.

Although the science cluster is separated by situation and subject matter from the other fellows, Flanagan says he feels he is part of a community nonetheless.

“I feel divided from the other fellows in the sense that we don’t have a strong overlap in any intellectual sense,” Flanagan says.

Bousso and Flanagan say that they try to overcome this gap by attending events and talks given by the other fellows.

“It has been an interesting opportunity to interact with so many humanities people,” Flanagan says. “It’s a new language.”

After the success of this year’s research cluster, Radcliffe officials say more scientists will come to Putnam House next year.

Plans for a similar cluster in computer science are in the works, according to Flanagan.

—Staff writer Ella A. Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@fas.harvard.edu.