UCLA alumni Gala Porras-Kim, an interdisciplinary artist, and Garrett Bradley, a filmmaker and visual artist, are among 22 people across the arts and sciences to be honored with MacArthur Fellowships, awarded annually to “extraordinarily talented and creative individuals as an investment in their potential,” the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced today.
The fellowships, commonly known as “genius grants,” are given to individuals who demonstrate exceptional creativity and dedication in their fields and the prospect of innovative advances in the future. The recognition comes with a five-year, $800,000 no-strings-attached stipend.
“The 2025 MacArthur Fellows expand the boundaries of knowledge, artistry and human understanding,” said Kristen Mack, a vice president at the foundation. “With virtuosity, persistence and courage, they chart new paths toward collaborative, creative and flourishing futures.”
To date, 40 UCLA graduates and faculty have received MacArthur Fellowships, the most recent being alumni Juan Felipe Herrera and Wendy Red Star in 2024 and faculty members E. Tendayi Achiume and Park Williams in 2023. Over the past three years, nearly 1 out of every 10 genius grant recipients has been a Bruin.
“UCLA alumni Gala Porras-Kim and Garrett Bradley show how art can question assumptions, recover overlooked histories and help us see culture in new ways,” said UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk. “Their MacArthur Fellowships speak not only to their extraordinary talent but to the important role of creative inquiry in shaping a more thoughtful and just society.”
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