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  • Plants
Three alumni have been awarded 2019 MacArthur Foundation fellowships for showing exceptional creativity in their work and promise for making additional future advances in their fields.

Zachary Lippman ’00 (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) is a plant biologist investigating the genetic networks underpinning plant development and growth and developing tools to help breed hardier and higher yielding crops.

Lisa Daugaard, M.A. ’87, is a criminal justice reformer developing alternative approaches to policing and standard drug law enforcement practices to improve outcomes for people struggling with substance abuse and with mental illness.

Emmanuel Pratt ’99 (College of Architecture, Art and Planning) is an urban designer working to turn neglected neighborhoods into areas of growth and vitality by integrating agriculture, education and design in a resident-driven approach to community development.

The alumni are among 26 fellows who will receive a no-strings-attached award – widely known as the “genius grant” – of $625,000 over five years from the foundation, allowing them to pursue their own artistic, intellectual and professional activities.

This article also appeared in the Cornell Chronicle.

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