The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation recently announced the 22 latest recipients in its fellowship program, commonly referred to as “genius grants.” MacArthur fellows receive a grant of $800,000 over five years to spend however they want on their academic or creative endeavors. Winners have shown exceptional creativity in their work and the promise to do more.
Of this year’s 22 winners, two are African American scholars with current ties to the academic world in the United States.
Kristina Douglass is an associate professor in the Climate School at Columbia University in New York City. From 2017 to 2022, she was an assistant professor of anthropology and African studies at Pennsylvania State University. Dr, Douglass is an archaeologist investigating how human societies and environments co-evolved and adapted to climate variability. Dr. Douglass’ research focuses on coastal communities in southwest Madagascar. Dr Douglass is a graduate of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where she majored in classics. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Yale University.
William Tarpeh is an assistant professor in the department of chemical engineering and a fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. Dr. Tarpeh is a chemical engineer developing sustainable and practical methods to recover valuable chemical resources from wastewater. His research focuses on recycling nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Dr. Tarpeh received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Photo credits: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
