One of the most prestigious academic fellowships in the country has two new recepients at Vanderbilt.
Michael D. Bess, Chancellor's Professor of History, and Barbara Hahn, Distinguished Professor of German, have been named 2008 Fellows by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, chosen out of a group of about 2,600 applicants. There are appoxiamately 190 Fellows this year.
“The Guggenheim is one of the most competitive fellowships available in the humanities, so two awards in one year underscores the strength of our faculty,” Richard McCarty, dean of the College of Arts and Science, told the Vanderbilt News Service. “We are pleased but not surprised that the rigorous peer review process enabled these outstanding proposals to be recognized.”
Both Bess and Hahn are professors in the College of Arts & Science. Bess plans to write a book during his fellowship based on his research on the "ethical and social implications of new technologies for human biological enhancement." Hahn will continue to work on her book about 20th century political philosopher Hannah Arendt.
Bess and Hahn join five other Vanderbilt professors that have received the Guggenheim fellowship since 1991.
For the full story from the Vanderbilt News Service, click here.
