The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has awarded 2026 fellowships to 223 distinguished individuals, including four scholars associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The fellows, chosen from nearly 5,000 applicants across 55 disciplines, were recognized for their past achievements and potential for future contributions. Each recipient receives a financial grant to enable them to pursue independent projects with maximum freedom.
Among the MIT honorees is Afreen Siddiqi, a research scientist in the Engineering Systems Laboratory within the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Siddiqi is renowned for her work on systems-theoretic analytical methods and quantitative modeling for adaptable technical systems in variable environments. Her research spans space exploration, satellite Earth observation, and infrastructure planning. Siddiqi has also contributed to the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2022.
Kathleen Thelen, the Ford International Professor of Political Science at MIT, was also awarded a fellowship. Thelen’s research focuses on the political economy of wealthy democracies, particularly analyzing American capitalism in a global context. Her latest book, “Attention Shoppers! American Retail Capitalism and the Origins of the Amazon Economy,” was published in 2025. Thelen has received numerous accolades, including the Friedrich Schiedel-Award for Politics and Technology and the Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Prize.
Vinod Vaikuntanathan, the Ford Foundation Professor of Engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, earned recognition for his groundbreaking work in cryptography. A principal investigator at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, he specializes in fully homomorphic encryption and lattice-based cryptography, essential for post-quantum cryptographic systems. Vaikuntanathan holds several awards, including the Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Award and the Godel Prize.
Kate Manne, an MIT alumna who completed her PhD in philosophy in 2011, is now a professor at Cornell University and is among the fellowship recipients. The Guggenheim Foundation, established in 1925, has awarded nearly $450 million to over 19,000 fellows to date. The foundation’s president, Edward Hirsch, expressed confidence that this new class of fellows will engage in bold and inspiring work in their respective fields.
These prestigious fellowships highlight the diverse expertise and groundbreaking research being conducted by MIT affiliates and demonstrate the university’s continued influence in various academic and scientific disciplines.
Source: MIT News
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https://news.mit.edu/2026/mit-affiliates-awarded-guggenheim-fellowships-0501