The MacArthur Foundation has announced the latest group of MacArthur Fellows for 2025. This year, 22 exceptional individuals representing diverse fields received the prestigious “genius grant.” Each fellow is awarded $800,000 with no conditions attached.
2025 MacArthur Fellows Overview
The MacArthur Fellows Program is designed to recognize extraordinary talent across various disciplines. Selection involves a rigorous nomination and vetting process, often taking months or even years. Marlies Carruth, director of the program, states that these fellows exhibit creativity, optimism, and perseverance, making significant contributions to their fields.
Featured MacArthur Fellows
- Ángel F. Adames Corraliza: An atmospheric scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, focusing on global weather patterns.
- Matt Black: A photographer from Exeter, California, documenting marginalized communities in America.
- Garrett Bradley: An artist and filmmaker examining justice and cultural visibility through her works.
- Heather Christian: A composer and playwright from Beacon, New York, exploring spiritual themes in modern contexts.
- Nabarun Dasgupta: An epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina, focused on reducing drug-related harms.
- Kristina Douglass: An archaeologist at Columbia University, working in Madagascar to protect local biodiversity.
- Kareem El-Badry: An astrophysicist from Caltech, researching stars and their behaviors in galaxies.
- Jeremy Frey: A Wabanaki artist integrating traditional materials into contemporary art.
- Hahrie Han: A political scientist from Johns Hopkins University studying civic participation.
- Tonika Lewis Johnson: A social justice artist in Chicago, addressing segregation and housing issues.
- Ieva Jusionyte: A cultural anthropologist examining border security impacts and community experiences.
- Toby Kiers: An evolutionary biologist from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, studying mutualistic relationships.
- Jason McLellan: A structural biologist instrumental in developing COVID-19 vaccines at the University of Texas.
- Tuan Andrew Nguyen: A multidisciplinary artist from Ho Chi Minh City, engaging with themes of war and resilience.
- Tommy Orange: A fiction writer from Oakland, California, representing Native American experiences in his novels.
- Margaret Wickens Pearce: A cartographer collaborating with Indigenous communities on historical mapping.
- Sébastien Philippe: A nuclear security specialist at the University of Wisconsin, studying nuclear risks.
- Gala Porras-Kim: An interdisciplinary artist focused on the cultural significance of artifacts in institutions.
- Teresa Puthussery: A neurobiologist at UC Berkeley researching human vision.
- Craig Taborn: An improvising musician from Brooklyn, known for his unique sound across genres.
- William Tarpeh: A chemical engineer at Stanford developing innovative methods for wastewater resource recovery.
- Lauren K. Williams: A mathematician from Harvard expanding mathematical theory and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The MacArthur Foundation continues to support and celebrate the achievements of these remarkable individuals, highlighting their contributions to society. The diversity of fields represented by the 2025 MacArthur Fellows underscores the importance of innovative thinking and a commitment to positive change.
