NEW YORK, NY — The Board of Trustees of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced the appointment of the 101st class of Guggenheim Fellows, honoring 223 exceptional individuals across 55 disciplines. Selected through a highly competitive application and peer-review process from a pool of nearly 5,000 candidates, the 2026 Fellows were chosen for both their distinguished records of achievement and their outstanding potential for future contributions.
The Fellows’ projects engage deeply with both enduring questions and urgent global challenges. Their work explores the promise and risks of artificial intelligence, advances transformative innovations in medical technology, examines the historical foundations of contemporary crises, and pioneers bold new directions in the arts.
Bedross Der Matossian, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is among this year’s recipients of a Guggenheim Fellowship. During his fellowship, Der Matossian will undertake a major research project examining the history of mass violence in Eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus over the past two centuries, shedding new light on patterns of conflict, memory, and historical interpretation.
Der Matossian commented, “Receiving this fellowship is both humbling and inspiring. It not only affirms the work I have devoted myself to over the years, but also provides me with the time, resources, and encouragement to continue pursuing ambitious projects that challenge me creatively and intellectually. I am profoundly grateful to the selection committee for this recognition, as well as to my family in Lincoln, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Yerevan, and Beirut; my friends and colleagues; and the scholars who wrote recommendation letters. Their support and guidance have been invaluable throughout my journey.”
Established in 1925 by U.S. Senator Simon Guggenheim and Olga Guggenheim in memory of their son, John Simon Guggenheim, the foundation is dedicated to advancing scholarship and artistic creation by supporting individuals in pursuing independent research under the freest possible conditions.
A leading scholar of modern Middle East history, Der Matossian currently teaches at the Department of History at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has previously taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago. An author, editor, and co-editor of nine books, his works include the forthcoming volume Shattered Truths: Denial of Genocides in the Digital Age (University of Nebraska Press, 2027).
