Fulbrighters and MacArthur Fellowships
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awards MacArthur Fellowships, popularly known as “genius grants,” which are regarded as one of the nation’s most prestigious awards for intellectual and artistic achievement. In 1981, the MacArthur Fellows Program was created with the intent to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional paths through unrestricted fellowships. As with the Fulbright Program, MacArthur Fellows are selected for both their demonstrated achievements and for their potential for future impact on their fields and communities.
82 Fulbright Alumni have been awarded MacArthur Fellowships
The Fulbright Program salutes its alumni – the artists, scientists, writers, teachers, journalists, and others – who have been awarded MacArthur Fellowships, as they continue to further Fulbright’s mission by inspiring creativity, advancing knowledge across communities, and making a positive impact on their communities and the world.
Dorothy Roberts
Legal Scholar and Public Policy Researcher
2002 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Trinidad and Tobago
2024 MacArthur Fellow
Martha Muñoz
Evolutionary Biologist
2007 Fulbright U.S. Student to Spain
2024 MacArthur Fellow
Linsey Marr
Environmental Engineer, Air Quality and Virus Transmission Expert
2017 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Taiwan
2023 MacArthur Fellow
Amber Wutich
Anthropologist, Water Insecurity and Global Health Expert
2003 Fulbright U.S. Student to Bolivia
2023 MacArthur Fellow
Fulbrighters and MacArthur Fellowships
Dorothy Roberts
Linsey Marr
Environmental Engineer, Air Quality and Virus Transmission Expert
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Taiwan, 2017
2023 MacArthur Fellow
Martha Gonzalez
Musician, Scholar, and Artist/Activist
Fulbright U.S. Student to Mexico, 2007
2022 MacArthur Fellow
Daniel Alarcón
Writer and Radio Producer
Fulbright U.S. Student to Peru, 2010
2021 MacArthur Fellow
Saidiya Hartman
Literary Scholar and Cultural Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Ghana, 1997
2019 MacArthur Fellow
Becca Heller
Human Rights Lawyer
Fulbright U.S. Student to Malawi, 2005
2018 MacArthur Fellow
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Playwright
Fulbright U.S. Student to Germany, 2009
2016 MacArthur Fellow
Pamela Long
Historian of Science and Technology
Fulbright U.S. Student to Italy, 1979
2014 MacArthur Fellow
Carol Padden
Sign Language Linguist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to New Zealand, 2000
2010 MacArthur Fellow
Richard Prum
Ornithologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Brazil, 2001
2009 MacArthur Fellow
Ruth Defries
Environmental Geographer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to India, 2006
2007 MacArthur Fellow
Terence Tao
Mathematician
Fulbright Student from Australia to United States, 1992
2006 MacArthur Fellow
Fazal Sheikh
Photographer
Fulbright U.S. Student to Kenya, 1992
2005 MacArthur Fellow
Laura Otis
Literary Scholar and Historian of Science
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Germany, 2010
2000 MacArthur Fellow
Bernadette Brooten
Historian of Religion
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Norway, 1998
1998 MacArthur Fellow
Lee Breuer
Playwright and Theater Director
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Greece, 2004
1997 MacArthur Fellow
Heidi Hartmann
Economist
Fulbright U.S. Specialist to New Zealand, 2004
1994 MacArthur Fellow
Nora England
Anthropological Linguist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Guatemala, 1989
1993 MacArthur Fellow
Thomas Scanlon
Philosopher
Fulbright U.S. Student to United Kingdom, 1962
1993 MacArthur Fellow
Wendy Ewald
Photographer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Colombia, 1982
1992 MacArthur Fellow
Arnold Rampersad
Biographer and Literary Critic
Fulbright U.S. Student from Trinidad and Tobago to United States, 1969
1991 MacArthur Fellow
John Eaton
Composer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Italy, 1987
1990 MacArthur Fellow
Rebecca Scott
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to France, 1994
1990 MacArthur Fellow
Philip Devries
Insect Biologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Brazil, 2015
1988 MacArthur Fellow
Naomi Pierce
Biologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Australia, 1983
1988 MacArthur Fellow
Anna Roosevelt
Archaeologist
Fulbright U.S. Specialist to Brazil, 2007
1988 MacArthur Fellow
Mark Strand
Poet and Writer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Brazil, 1965
1987 MacArthur Fellow
David Keightley
Historian and Sinologist
Fulbright U.S. Student to France, 1953
1986 MacArthur Fellow
John Benton
Medieval Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to France, 1971
1985 MacArthur Fellow
William Cronon
Environmental Historian
Fulbright U.S. Specialist to Iceland, 2000
1985 MacArthur Fellow
Robert Hass
Poet, Critic, and Translator
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to United Kingdom, 1976
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Fritz John
Mathematician
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Germany, 1955
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Heather Lechtman
Materials Scientist and Archaeologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Chile, 1987
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Andrew Lewis
Medieval Historian
Fulbright U.S. Student to France, 1969
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Charles Simic
Poet, Translator, and Essayist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Yugoslavia, 1982
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Amos Tversky
Cognitive Psychologist
Fulbright Student from Israel to United States, 1961
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Philip Curtin
Historian of Africa
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad/Tobago, 1986
1983 MacArthur Fellow
Brad Leithauser
Poet and Writer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Iceland, 1988
1983 MacArthur Fellow
Robert Merton
Historian and Sociologist of Science
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Japan, 1967
1983 MacArthur Fellow
Ada Louise Huxtable
Architectural Critic and Historian
Fulbright U.S. Student to Italy, 1952
1981 MacArthur Fellow
Richard Rorty
Philosopher
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Peru, 1986
1981 MacArthur Fellow
Amber Wutich
Anthropologist, Water Insecurity and Global Health Expert
Fulbright U.S. Student to Bolivia, 2003
2023 MacArthur Fellow
Monica Kim
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Student to South Korea, 2007
2022 MacArthur Fellow
Andrea Dutton
Geochemist and Paleoclimatologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to New Zealand, 2020
2019 MacArthur Fellow
Stacy Jupiter
Marine Scientist
Fulbright U.S. Student to Australia, 2002
2019 MacArthur Fellow
Derek Peterson
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Student to Kenya, 1993
2017 MacArthur Fellow
Benjamin Lerner
Writer
Fulbright U.S. Student to Spain, 2003
2015 MacArthur Fellow
Michal Lipson
Optical Physicist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Brazil, 2007
2010 MacArthur Fellow
Timothy Barretts
Papermaker
Fulbright U.S. Student to Japan, 1975
2009 MacArthur Fellow
John Ochsendorf
Structural Engineer / Architectural Preservationist
Fulbright U.S. Student to Spain, 2000
2008 MacArthur Fellow
Lisa Curran
Tropical Forester
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Brazil, 2005
2006 MacArthur Fellow
Todd Martinez
Theoretical Chemist
Fulbright U.S. Student to Israel, 1994
2005 MacArthur Fellow
Sarah Kagan
Gerontological Nurse
Fulbright U.S. Specialist to Armenia, 2010
2003 MacArthur Fellow
Sarah Kagan
Gerontological Nurse
Fulbright U.S. Specialist to Armenia, 2010
2003 MacArthur Fellow
Donald Mitchell
Cultural Geographer
Fulbright U.S. Seminar Programs to Chile, 2013
1998 MacArthur Fellow
Richard Howard
Poet, Translator, and Literary Critic
Fulbright U.S. Student to France, 1966
1996 MacArthur Fellow
Maria Crawford
Geologist and Petrologist
Fulbright U.S. Student to Norway, 1960
1993 MacArthur Fellow
Thom Gunn
Poet and Literary Critic
Fulbright Student from UK to United States, 1955
1993 MacArthur Fellow
Ellen Silbergeld
Biologist and Environmental Health Scientist
Fulbright U.S. Student to United Kingdom, 1967
1993 MacArthur Fellow
Norman Manea
Writer
Fulbright Scholar from Romania to United States, 1988
1992 MacArthur Fellow
Gunther Schuller
Composer, Conductor, and Jazz Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to China, 1971
1991 MacArthur Fellow
Patricia Hampl
Writer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Czech Republic, 1995
1990 MacArthur Fellow
Ruth Behar
Cultural Anthropologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Argentina, 2006
1988 MacArthur Fellow
Cornell Fleischer
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Turkey, 1986
1988 MacArthur Fellow
Stephen Pyne
Environmental Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Sweden, 1991
1988 MacArthur Fellow
Irving Howe
Literary and Social Critic
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Japan, 1982
1987 MacArthur Fellow
Nancy Farriss
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Student to Spain, 1961
1986 MacArthur Fellow
John Ashbery
Poet
Fulbright U.S. Student to France, 1956
1985 MacArthur Fellow
Harold Bloom
Literary Critic
Fulbright U.S. Student to United Kingdom, 1954
1985 MacArthur Fellow
Thomas Palaima
Classicist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Austria, 1993, and Spain, 2007, and Fulbright U.S. Student to Greece, 1979
1985 MacArthur Fellow
Bill Irwin
Writer and Performance Artist
Fulbright U.S. Student to United Kingdom, 1987
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Galway Kinnell
Poet
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Iran, 1959
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Michael Lerner
Public Health Leader
Fulbright U.S. Student to Brazil, 1965
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Michael Piore
Economist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Italy, 1978
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Elliot Sperling
Tibetan Studies Scholar
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to India, 1994
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Bret Wallach
Geographer
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Sri Lanka, 2005
1984 MacArthur Fellow
Ramon Gutierrez
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Student to Peru, 1973
1983 MacArthur Fellow
Lawrence Levine
Historian
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Australia, 1988
1983 MacArthur Fellow
Attipat Ramanujan
Poet, Translator, and Literary Scholar
Fulbright Student from India to United States, 1961
1983 MacArthur Fellow
David Pingree
Historian of Science
Fulbright U.S. Student to Italy, 1954
1981 MacArthur Fellow
Lawrence Rosen
Attorney and Anthropologist
Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Tunisia, 1991
1981 MacArthur Fellow