Peter N. Miller – “Why Research Matters”
What would a history of research look like? What is the meaning of research? And, looking ahead, how might research adapt itself to a world of AI? To inaugurate the fall 2026 season of programming and welcome the class of 2027 Fellows, Affiliated Fellows, and Residents to the Academy, AAR President Peter N. Miller will deliver a public lecture titled "Why Research Matters.”
For an institution like the American Academy in Rome, identified as late as 1930 as one of only two American research institutes, the answers to these questions are central to its past, present, and future. Those who conduct research often regard its value as self-evident, while those who benefit from it may not recognize it at all. As research institutes and institutions of higher education come under attack from populist politicians who view research funding as a means of taming institutions and communities they perceive as hostile, Miller suggests that there may be no united front to resist because there is no shared standard around which to rally.
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