Vanderbilt's MacArthur Genius Keivan Stassun

I don't know how I missed this when it was announced a few months ago, but I found it when I was looking up how his "Bridge Program" for bringing more students from traditionally underrepresented groups into the sciences was faring in the current deplorable political climate.
https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2024/10/02/vanderbilts-keivan-stassun-named-2024-macarthur-fellow/

"When the MacArthur Foundation begins making its calls, there typically isn’t a “heads-up” for the person on the other end of the line. “Honestly, my immediate reaction was disbelief,” said Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt. “I remember saying several times into the phone, ‘Really?!’ This is just not the sort of thing I ever imagined for myself.”

Stassun—who is also a founding co-director the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-Ph.D. Bridge Program, the director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation and holds a joint appointment with Computer Science in the School of Engineering—was among the 2024 MacArthur fellows announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The fellowship, which is awarded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, aims to identify extraordinarily creative individuals with a track record of excellence in a field of scholarship or area of practice. Recipients also demonstrate the ability to affect society in significant and beneficial ways through their pioneering work or the rigor of their contributions, according to the foundation.
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After earning his Ph.D. in astronomy, Stassun knew he wanted to be on the front line of astrophysics research. His work, which concerns star evolution and exoplanet discovery, has been widely published in various journals, including The Astronomical Journal and The Astrophysical Journal. He chose to become a professor at Vanderbilt because he wanted to inspire the next generation of discoverers.
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The Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-Ph.D. Bridge Program Stassun founded aims to increase diversity among students receiving advanced degrees in STEM fields. The program serves as a stepping stone for promising students who may not have the opportunity to gain the experiences or skills needed to go directly into a Ph.D. program. Students pursue a master’s degree at Fisk University, a historically Black university. They can take courses at Fisk and at Vanderbilt, and they have mentorship and research opportunities tailored to their individual needs and interests. Those who complete the master’s degree are encouraged to apply to the Vanderbilt Ph.D. program or may apply to another school of their choice. For universities across the country, the program is a model for advancing science by expanding access to it.".... (more)