Meet the 2007 MacArthur Fellows

addressing the challenges of college access for underrepresented populations by identifying and fostering latent talent and reframing college admissions into a more inclusive process.

offering a unique vision of the cultural, religious, and linguistic interactions that were and are possible among peoples of the Middle East.

improving the quality of medical care for minorities in the United States by analyzing and developing new approaches to patient-physician communication.

combining remote satellite imagery and a deep understanding of the environmental effects of agriculture and urbanization to illuminate key processes transforming our planet.

unearthing evidence of crimes against humanity and seeking justice on behalf of populations whose immense losses have been omitted from the historical record.

paying tribute to the literature and iconography of the Old World while exploring the imaginations of contemporary American communities.

analyzing the chemistry and toxicity of drinking water supplies in America’s largest cities and making critical contributions to an often-neglected area of public safety.

laying the groundwork for the next stage of the genomics revolution — understanding how genes interact.

engineering innovations spanning optics, high-performance materials, and nanotechnology in the service of the world community.

reviving and giving contemporary meaning to indigenous languages, customs, and culture in an isolated region of North America.

leading a revival of Mississippi Delta blues by infusing traditional styles with influences from jazz, reggae gospel, and African and Caribbean folk styles.

integrating the understanding of spider phylogenetics and the development of such biomimetic materials as biodegradable fishing lines, sutures, and protective armor cloth.

developing novel techniques for synthesizing highly energetic compounds, such as explosives, that substitute benign elements for environmentally toxic heavy metals and improve the safety of workers and military personnel who handle these materials.

exploring the behavior of bees and other natural pollinators and their critical but often overlooked role in the global food web.

paying tribute to the daily lives of anonymous African-Americans through poetic and intricately constructed tableaux.

devising complex prosthetic devices and rehabilitation strategies that hold life-changing potential for those suffering from brain injuries and manipulation disabilities.

exploring periods of American history from unexpected vantage points and addressing some of society’s most complex issues with empathy and humor.

experimenting with new procedures for temporary reduction in metabolism that may one day extend the time available to surgeons to perform critical, live-saving procedures.

folding DNA to create complex shapes and patterns that provide a platform for building circuits, molecular switches, and other nanodevices of the future.

shining vivid light on how violent events such as the First Crusade are recorded and remembered by future generations.

drawing parallels between ancient texts and the experiences of Vietnam veterans that deepen our understanding of the effects of warfare on individuals highlight the role of military policy in promoting the physical and mental safety of soldiers.

creating fiercely individual, abstract paintings that are rooted in memory and convey universal and readily understood emotions.

stretching the boundaries of operatic and concert singing and enriching the landscape of contemporary performance through her advocacy of established and emerging composers.

drawing from Western dance traditions as well as Chinese opera, acrobatics, and martial arts to create bold and visually arresting dance-theater.