The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced its 2026 cohort of fellows on Tuesday, naming 20 scholars, scientists and artists who will each receive an $800,000 grant with no strings attached. The prestigious awards, widely known as "genius grants," are disbursed over five years and come with no reporting requirements, allowing recipients to use the funds however they see fit.
This year's class spans an unusually broad range of disciplines, from organic chemistry and labor economics to forensic anthropology, public art and fiction writing. According to the foundation, the fellows were selected by a network of anonymous scouts who identify candidates across fields and then submit recommendations to an independent selection committee.
Among the most prominent honorees is Ellora Derenoncourt, a labor economist and economic historian whose research examines the persistent wage gaps between racial groups in the United States. Her work has helped document how historical forces, including discrimination and structural inequality, continue to shape contemporary labor markets.
Another fellow, Kate Spradley, is a forensic anthropologist who has devoted much of her career to identifying and repatriating the remains of migrants who died along the Texas-Mexico border. Her efforts provide closure to families and shed light on the humanitarian toll of border crossings, a subject that has drawn increasing attention in recent years.
The foundation also recognized Holly Jean Buck, a sociologist at the University at Buffalo whose work focuses on the ethical and political dimensions of climate change policy. In her 2019 book "After Geoengineering," Buck argued that systems designed to remove carbon from the atmosphere must be built to serve local communities and the broader public interest rather than corporate profit. Her selection underscores the growing importance of social science in conversations about climate solutions.
Song Lin, an organic chemist, was honored for his contributions to the field, though the source article did not detail his specific research. Similarly, Christine Sun Kim, a visual and sound artist, and Chip Thomas, a public artist, were named among the recipients. The foundation highlighted the diversity of creative practices represented in this year's class.
Several fellows converge on themes of human connection and healing, albeit from radically different vantage points. The source article noted that visual and sound artist Christine Sun Kim, philosopher and cognitive scientist Felipe De Brigard, and novelist Bryan Washington all explore these ideas through their respective mediums. Their inclusion reflects the foundation's long-standing interest in supporting work that illuminates the human condition.
The MacArthur Fellowship is often described as a "no-strings-attached" award because it places no restrictions on how recipients spend the money. Unlike many grants, it does not require a proposal, a budget or a final report. Fellows are simply notified that they have been chosen, often without any prior warning, and are free to continue their existing work or pursue new directions.
The program was established in 1981 and has since become one of the most recognizable philanthropic honors in the United States. Past recipients include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, groundbreaking scientists, and influential musicians. The foundation says the fellowship is intended to celebrate creativity, originality, and the potential for future achievement rather than past accomplishments alone.
This year's selection also reflects a deliberate effort to recognize individuals whose work addresses pressing social issues. Buck's focus on equitable climate policy, Spradley's work on migrant remains, and Derenoncourt's research on racial wage gaps all speak to ongoing national debates about justice, environment and economic opportunity.
The foundation's network of scouts operates confidentially, meaning fellows typically do not know they are being considered until they receive a phone call. That element of surprise has become a hallmark of the program, producing memorable reactions from recipients over the years.
In a statement, the foundation praised the 2026 fellows for their "extraordinary creativity" and their commitment to expanding knowledge and enriching human life. The grants are intended to provide recipients with the freedom to take risks, explore new projects, and continue their work without financial pressure.
The full list of this year's fellows includes scholars and artists working in fields as varied as music, chemistry, sociology, anthropology, economics and literature. While the source article only detailed a handful of them, the foundation's announcement highlighted the breadth of expertise represented in the cohort.
The $800,000 award is distributed quarterly over five years. Recipients are not required to pay taxes on the full amount immediately, though the grants are subject to standard tax rules. Many fellows say the financial cushion allows them to pursue ambitious projects that might otherwise be impossible.
For artists like Christine Sun Kim and Chip Thomas, the fellowship offers validation of work that often operates outside mainstream commercial channels. For scientists and scholars, it provides resources to deepen research or launch new investigations. In all cases, the foundation emphasizes that the award is an investment in the individual, not a specific project.
As the 2026 class begins to absorb the news, the foundation and its supporters are already looking ahead to the impact these 20 individuals might have in the coming years. Whether through climate policy, economic research, artistic expression or humanitarian work, the new fellows are expected to continue pushing boundaries in their respective fields.
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