Here’s the second part of our roundup of Woodrow Wilson Fellows who’ve garnered significant honors this year. In Part II, we look at Fellows who have received major awards and prizes, including one that’s not just national but international.

Medals and Major Awards

Kavli Prize in Astrophysics—Alan H. Guth WF ’68

In May 2014, MIT professor and physicist Alan H. Guth WF ’68 was awarded the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics, along with Andrei D. Linde and Alexei A. Starobinsky, for “pioneering the theory of cosmic inflation.” Given biennially in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience, the Kavli Prize was established in 2005 to recognize outstanding scientific research and honor highly creative scientists. The three laureates in each discipline win a share of $1 million.

MacArthur Fellowship—Tara Zahra MN ’99

A historian of Modern Europe and professor of history at University of Chicago, Tara Zahra is “challenging the way we view the development of the concepts of nation, family, and ethnicity and painting a more integrative picture of twentieth-century European history,” according to her fellowship citation. The MacArthur Fellowships, sometimes called “Genius Grants,” are awarded each September by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and seek to recognize exceptionally creative individuals with a potential for significant contributions in the future. Fellows are nominated in secret and receive an unrestricted $625,000 stipend over five years to pursue their work and creative vision.

National Medal of Science—Robert Axelrod WF ’64

Dr. Axelrod was presented with the National Medal of Science for his interdisciplinary work on the evolution of cooperation, complexity theory and international security. He is is a political scientist at the University of Michigan.

Harvard Arts Medal—Margaret Atwood WF ’61

Canadian writer and environmental activist Margaret Atwood is the 2014 recipient of the Harvard Arts Medal. The medal is given annually to a Harvard or Radcliffe alumnus or faculty member who has shown demonstrated achievement and excellence in the arts and who has made significant contributions through the arts to education or the public good.

Abbreviation Key:

WF = Woodrow Wilson Fellow
MN = Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship

If you’d like to tell us about your 2014 awards and honors, tweet at us, find us on Facebook, or send us an email to let us know!

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