Radcliffe Institute Announces 2018-2019 Fellows

This year's cohort includes more than 50 scholars from around the world, and Harvard's own community.

The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study’s 2018-2019 cohort includes 53 fellows from 11 different countries. The group includes National Book Award finalists and a documentary photographer alongside researchers from multiple academic disciplines.

“The range of proposed projects is truly remarkable,” says Radcliffe Institute dean Lizabeth Cohen, herself a former fellow. “We’re delighted with this new group of exceptionally talented fellows and we are excited to see what the coming year holds, as they each embrace the unique intellectual and creative freedom that a Radcliffe fellowship offers.”


Clockwise from top left: Sara Bleich, Marine Denolle, Cynthia Dwork, and Cora Dvorkin
Photographs courtesy of the Radcliffe Institute

Nine of this year's fellows are faculty members from different corners of the Harvard community. Their names and the titles of their projects appear below:

  • Robin Bernstein, Dillon professor of African and African American studies and of studies of women, gender, and sexuality, and Joy Foundation Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute: The Tragedy of William Freeman: A Story of Mass Murder, Slavery, and Convict Labor in the North
  • Sara Bleich, professor of public health policy, and Pforzheimer professor at the Radcliffe Institute: Health Policies for Obesity Prevention
  • Marine Denolle, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, and assistant professor at the Radcliffe Institute: Effects of the Earth Surface on the Dynamics of Earthquakes
  • Lisa R. Diller, professor of biology and medical sciences, and Knafel Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute: Oncology Care in the Genomic Era
  • Cora Dvorkin, assistant professor of physics, and Shutzer assistant professor at the Radcliffe Institute: Probing Fundamental Physics with Cosmological Data Sets
  • Cynthia Dwork, Gordon McKay professor of computer science, and Radcliffe Alumnae professor at the Radcliffe Institute : Finding Fairness

From left: Durba Mitra, Myrto Kalouptsidi, and Janet Rich Edwards
Photograph courtesy of the Radcliffe Institute
  • Myrto Kalouptsidi, assistant professor of economics, and Marks assistant professor at the Radcliffe Institute: Global Transport Markets: Efficiency and Impact on World Trade
  • Durba Mitra, assistant professor of women, gender, and sexuality, and Pforzheimer assistant professor at the Radcliffe Institute: Sexuality and the New Science of Society
  • Janet Rich-Edwards, associate professor of medicine and associate professor of epidemiology, and co-director of the science program at the Radcliffe Institute: How Childhood Trauma Leads to Obesity: Identifying Mechanisms Linking Child Abuse to “Food Addiction”

The 2018-2019 cohort also includes the first Mellon-Schlesinger Fellow, Corrine Field, an assistant professor of women, gender, and sexuality at the University of Virgina. Field’s work will draw on the Schlesinger Library’s collections on the history of women in America by exploring the closely intertwined roots of race and age segregation in American feminism. 

Read more articles by Oset Babür

You might also like

Ruth J. Simmons Receives the 2026 Radcliffe Medal

Michelle Obama, Drew Gilpin Faust, and others paid tribute to the pioneering educator during Harvard’s Radcliffe Day festivities. 

Harvard Elects New Overseers, HAA Directors

Leaders for the governing board and alumni association were chosen by an alumni vote.

Mychal Threets Brings ‘Library Joy’ to Harvard

The librarian and social media star gave the keynote address for Harvard Graduate School of Education’s convocation.

Most popular

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Commencement Day with Conan O’Brien

The comedian headlined a star-studded cast for Harvard’s 375th Commencement exercises.

Harvard 2026 Commencement Photo Album

A gallery of photographs from the Commencement celebration for the class of 2026

Explore More From Current Issue

Historical scene depicting a parade with soldiers and a town square in the background.

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.

Woman in historical dress standing in front of green foliage, smiling brightly.

This Harvard Graduate Brings Women of the Revolution to Life

Historical reenactor Lauren Shear reveals tricks of the trade for playing Tory loyalists, Revolutionary poets, and more.

Colorful illustrated map of Colonial Cambridge and the Harvard College campus featuring buildings of the campus, houses, Cambridge Common, and the Charles River

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history