MOLI VIEW™

It's that time of year again, when the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announces a new crop of "geniuses": creative folks likely to contribute to a better future for us all. Each of the 24 winners receives $500,000, over a five-year period, to do whatever — which, because they're geniuses, will probably be something pretty good.
These guys are not officially called "geniuses." But as the MacArthur Fellows program director Daniel J. Socolow observes: "As a group, this new class of Fellows takes one's breath away. As individuals, each is an original. To the person, they confirm that the creative individual is alive and well, at the cutting edge, and at work singularly and powerfully to make our world a better place."
Here are a few of my favorites (descriptions from the MacArthur site):


Deborah Bial is an education strategist who addresses the challenges of college access for underrepresented populations by identifying and fostering latent talent and opening opportunities for them to pursue higher education.
Mercedes Doretti is a forensic anthropologist who unearths evidence of crimes against humanity, restoring voices to long-silenced victims and presenting critical findings to tribunals, human rights organizations, and special commissions around the globe.
Cheryl Hayashi is a biologist integrating the understanding of spider phylogenetics and the development of such biomimetic materials as biodegradable fishing lines, sutures, and protective armor cloth.
Corey Harris is a guitarist, songwriter, and performer who is leading a contemporary revival of country blues with a fresh, modern hand.
Celeste Fraser Delgado is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Worthy Causes.

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