Kudos to Kay Ryan and AE Stallings. Such an impressive list! (via HuffPo)

MacArthur Foundation 'Genius Grant' Recipients 2011

CHICAGO -- The following 22 fellows each will receive $500,000 over the next five years from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation:

_Jad Abumrad, 38, New York. Radio co-host and producer of the nationally syndicated WNYC program "Radiolab."

_Marie-Therese Connolly, 54, Washington, D.C. Lawyer who works to combat physical and psychological elder abuse and mistreatment, and elder financial exploitation.

_Roland Fryer, 34, Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University economics professor who studies causes and consequences of economic disparity due to race and inequality.

_Jeanne Gang, 47, Chicago. Architect focusing on the geographic, social and environmental factors of residential, educational and commercial buildings.

_Elodie Ghedin, 44, Pittsburgh, Pa. Parasitologist and assistant professor at University of Pittsburg School of Medicine who studies genetic sequencing techniques.

_Markus Greiner, 38, Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University associate professor of physics and condensed matter physicist.

_Kevin Guskiewicz, 45, Chapel Hill, N.C. Sports medicine researcher and University of North Carolina professor of exercise and sports science specializing in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sports-related concussions.

_Peter Hessler, 42, Ridgway, Colo. Long-form journalist whose work explores life in Reform Era China.

_Tiya Miles, 41, Ann Arbor, Mich. University of Michigan history professor who studies relationships between African and Cherokee people living and working in colonial America.

_Matthew Nock, 38, Cambridge, Mass. Clinical psychologist and Harvard University psychology professor whose work focuses on suicide and self-injury in adolescents and adults.

_Francisco Nunez, 46, New York. Choral conductor, composer and founder and artistic director of the Young People's Chorus of New York City.

_Sarah Otto, 43, Vancouver, B.C. University of British Columbia professor and evolutionary geneticist.

_Shwetak Patel, 29, Seattle. Sensor technologist, computer scientist and assistant professor at the University of Washington.

_Dafnis Prieto, 37, New York. Jazz percussionist and composer with classical training and Afro-Cuban musical heritage.

_Kay Ryan, 65, Fairfax, Calif. Former Poet Laureate of the United States and author of eight volumes of poetry.

_Melanie Sanford, 36, Ann Arbor, Mich. Organometallic chemist and University of Michigan professor of chemistry.

_William Seeley, 39, San Francisco. University of California associate professor and neuropathologist who studies human neurodegenerative disease.

_Jacob Soll, 42, Camden N.J. Rutgers University history professor whose work encompasses early modern Europe.

_A.E. Stallings, 43, Athens, Greece. Director of the poetry program at the Athens Centre, poet and translator.

_Ubaldo Vitali, 67, Maplewood, N.J. Fourth-generation silversmith, conservator and scholar who restores silver masterworks and creates original art.

_Alisa Weilerstein, 29, New York. Cellist who performs traditional and contemporary music.

_Yukiko Yamashita, 39, Ann Arbor, Mich. University of Michigan Medical School assistant professor and developmental biologist studying stem cell division.