MacFound evalution

[matt-long]

Dear Dr. Long:

Benjamin Van Mooy has been nominated for a MacArthur Fellowship. We would very much appreciate your confidential evaluation of this nominee. To encourage frank responses, we strictly limit access to these evaluations to program staff and members of our selection committee. Nominees cannot apply for the fellowship and are not aware that they are under consideration. We ask that you regard this correspondence as private and not discuss it with the nominee or contact others regarding this evaluation request.

The Fellows Program seeks to identify people of exceptional creativity whose work would benefit from greater freedom and support. MacArthur Fellows receive a stipend for five years and have no reporting obligations. The program uses three criteria when selecting fellows: exceptional creativity; potential to make a genuine difference in one or more fields; and the possible role of the fellowship in realizing that potential. Additionally, the program seeks to recognize individuals who adhere to high standards of professional conduct and act with integrity and respect toward members of the communities with which they work. (More details about the program, including the evaluation and selection procedure, can be found on the MacArthur Fellows Program website.)

In your response, we hope you will address the following questions:

1. What is the creativity and inventiveness embodied in the nominee's work?
2. What potential for future impact do you see in this work?
3. What distinguishes the nominee from others in the field?
4. In what ways might the fellowship leverage or help realize the nominee's potential?

In addition, it would be especially helpful if you could provide us with the names of two or three people who might also write evaluations of this nominee. Please do not contact other potential evaluators yourself.

We realize that providing such evaluations can be time-consuming, but the program and the selection committee would deeply appreciate your counsel. Please feel free to focus on the aspects of the nominee's work that are most familiar to you.

We would welcome your evaluation via our secure Fellows Program Evaluation Portal by Thursday, April 6, 2023. I ask that you please let me know by email (jgoodwin@macfound.org) if you are willing to provide comments, need more time, or have any other questions. We very much look forward to your response.