- Lynsey Addario, photojournalist
- Maneesh Agrawala, computer vision technologist
- Timothy Barrett, papermaker/conservator
- Mark Bradford (CalArts, Los Angeles), mixed media artist
- Edwidge Danticat, novelist
- Rackstraw Downes, realist painter
- Esther Duflo, economist
- Deborah Eisenberg, short story writer
- Lin He, molecular biologist
- Peter Huybers, climate scientist
- James Longley, filmmaker
- L. Mahadevan, applied mathematician
- Heather McHugh, poet
- Jerry Mitchell, investigative reporter
- Rebecca Onie, public health entrepreneur
- Richard Prum, ornithologist
- John A. Rogers, applied physicist
- Elyn Saks (USC, Los Angeles), mental health lawyer
- Jill Seaman, infectious disease physician
- Beth Shapiro, evolutionary biologist
- Daniel Sigman, biogeochemist
- Mary Tinetti, geriatric physician
- Camille Utterback, digital artist
- Theodore Zoli, bridge engineer
The foundation's president, Bob Gallucci, explains: "This is not just an award for past accomplishment [but] for the potential to do more creative things in the future." The foundation, established in 1978, is a private, independent grant-making institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals to improve the human condition.
There are a disproportionate number of recipients who adhere to one particular religion, be it culturally or spiritually. There are also many youthful fellows with bright futures now able to blossom into the geniuses they have have the potential to become. There are no age restrictions. One is even identified as a high functioning schizophrenic, who is currently a professor at USC. Their work and fields of interest also seems to have influenced judges -- from the economy to climate change, short story writing to poetry, from engineering to biology, visual art to applied math.
- MacArthur Foundation: macfound.org
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