article

The MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship (sometimes nicknamed the "genius grant") is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation each year to typically 20 to 40 citizens or residents of the US, of any age and working in any field, who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work." According to the Foundation website, "the fellowship is not a reward for past accomplishment, but rather an investment in a person's originality, insight, and potential." The current amount of the award is $500,000, over five years. There have been 707 recipients to date.

The Fellowship has no application. People are nominated anonymously, by a body of nominators who submit recommendations to a small selection committee of about a dozen people, also anonymous. The committee then reviews every nominee and passes along their recommendations to the President and the board of directors. The entire process is anonymous and confidential. Most new MacArthur Fellows first learn that they have even been considered when they receive the congratulatory phone call.

List of MacArthur Fellows organized by periods of their awards:

October 2005 through September 2010

October 2004 through September 2009

October 2003 through September 2008

September 2002 through August 2007

October 2001 through September 2006

Past Recipients

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

1989

1988

1987

1986

1985

1984

1983

1982

1981

Popular Culture

The grant was featured on an episode of the television show Family Guy; the main character, Peter Griffin, attempted to become a MacArthur Fellow but scored so low on the test that he was deemed mentally retarded. In reality, applications are not accepted and no tests are performed. Instead, the foundation selects leaders in their respective fields to nominate and select fellows under confidential conditions.

External links

Prizes

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "MacArthur Fellows Program".

Home Page • arts • business • computers • games • health • hospitals • home • kids & teens • news • physicians • recreation• reference • regional • science • shopping • society • sports • world