Spotlight
Elaina Sutley, the 2025 Blavatnik Award Laureate in Physical Sciences and Engineering, is investigating how to make manufactured homes safer in extreme winds without compromising affordability. In an article co-authored with Arindam Chowdhury, she describes first-of-their-kind, full-scale tests at Florida International University’s Wall of Wind facility, examining three manufactured homes and seven installation systems. Preliminary findings revealed weaknesses in commonly used installation systems, while showing that homes built above federal strength requirements and secured with robust anchoring performed well in winds exceeding 110 mph. The research combines laboratory experiments, post-disaster investigations and community engagement to identify practical improvements in construction and installation. Sutley and her colleagues have also worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to improve installation practices for post-disaster temporary housing and are developing guidance for state and local governments. Their work highlights the potential for stronger building standards and better installation practices to protect the more than 22 million Americans who live in manufactured housing.
Billboard has included the Warner Music Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University in its 2026 list of Top Music Business Schools. Led by music industry executive Jasmine “Jazz” Young, the Center combines academic excellence with real-world application to prepare students for careers in the music industry. Students learn from practitioners with experience at Warner Music Group, Def Jam, Atlantic Records and Live Nation. In partnership with the RIAA, students have explored the legal, ethical, creative and commercial implications of artificial intelligence for music creation, ownership and artists’ rights. The Center also continually updates its courses to reflect contemporary music and culture, including a new offering centered on the career of Cardi B.
Nicholas Boggs, Anand Gopal, Patrick Radden Keefe, Edmund Richardson, Matthew Sweet and Andrea Wulf have been announced as the six authors shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2026. The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction is widely recognised as the world's most prestigious international award for literary non-fiction that is open to books on any subject and to writers of any nationality. Since 1999 it has named the best non-fiction book of the year. The winning author receives £50,000. The shortlist of six books were chosen by this year’s judging panel: Kirsty Lang, broadcaster and arts journalist (chair); head of books at Waterstones, Bea Carvalho; writer and cultural historian Dr Tiffany Jenkins; literary editor of The Spectator, Sam Leith; editor and reporter, Ravi Mattu; and award-winning novelist and storyteller, Elif Shafak. Their selection was made from over 350 eligible books published between 1 November 2025 and 31 October 2026. From the courts of ancient Macedon and the upheaval of the French Revolution to contemporary London and revolutionary Syria, this year's shortlist spans biography, history, investigation and political reportage. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 4 November at an award ceremony at BMA House, generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The announcement will also be livestreamed across the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction social channels.
A feature in The Times of Israel explores how Israeli musician Noga Erez and her partner and collaborator, Ori Rousso, navigated the professional and personal upheaval following the October 7, 2023 attacks and ensuing war. Facing canceled performances, online abuse and cultural boycotts, the pair feared their international career might be over—but chose to keep creating and performing. The Times of Israel Their perseverance brought renewed momentum, with most shows across North America and Europe selling out. A performance at Coachella in April 2026 marked a significant milestone, and the pair are preparing to bring their expanded production to larger venues on their spring 2027 tour. Noga, a documentary supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, with Len Blavatnik serving as an executive producer premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival and explores the intersection of Erez’s music, identity, and personal responsibilities. Through a close look at her creative partnership with Rousso, their relationship and their journey into parenthood, the documentary offers an intimate portrait of the life behind the performances.
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The Foundation contributes to renowned institutions that showcase the breadth of arts and culture, including performance, exhibition and education.
The Blavatnik Archive is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th-century Jewish and world history, with a special emphasis on World War I, World War II, and Soviet Russia.
