Honoring UC's First MacArthur Fellow: Dr. Shailaja Paik

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The UC Office of Research is proud to honor Dr. Shailaja Paik,

Charles Phelps Taft Distinguished Professor of History, as UC's first MacArthur Fellow

The MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the Genius Grant, honors individuals whose creative, impactful contributions are changing the world. "It is impossible to overstate how remarkable of an achievement it is to be named a MacArthur Fellow," noted UC Vice President for Research and Ohio Eminent Scholar Dr. Patrick Limbach. "We are so proud to honor Dr. Paik and celebrate her as UC's very first recipient of this Nationally Competitive Award."

Dr. Paik's research explores the social history of India, examining the critical intersections of gender, caste, and politics.

Her work transcends academic boundaries—it is actively contributing to social good and driving meaningful change. By illuminating the struggles of marginalized communities, particularly Dalit women, Dr. Paik is challenging entrenched inequalities and inspiring movements for justice in India. "Her transformational human-centered research embodies the philosophy of Research 2030, UC's 10-year plan for strategic research, and the Urban Futures Pathway's Society & Culture initiative," remarked Jennifer Krivickas, UC's Senior Associate Vice President for Research Strategic Programs & Initiatives.

With the support of Next Lives Here investments, the UC Office of Research's competitive intelligence team has been gathering and analyzing information about Nationally Competitive Awards as defined by the American Association of Universities and studying trends and internal and external factors to inform strategic decision-making. This team leverages data, statistical tools, machine learning, and natural language processing methods to identify researchers, such as Dr. Paik, who have the profile to be nominated for a Nationally Competitive Award. In the summer of 2024, the research advancement team's insights indicated that Dr. Paik is a highly competitive researcher who is well positioned to be nominated for some of our nation's most competitive awards.

"About a month ago, I sat down with Dr. Paik to discuss our team's process, our findings, her plans, and her interest in being a nominee," said Jennifer Krivickas. "The team identified her as an outlier, so I wanted to extend an offer to nominate her for several prestigious awards, not including the MacArthur Fellowship, which does not accept applications or unsolicited nominations. At the time we met, she had already been informed about her Genius Award, but for a variety of reasons, could not share this amazing news with anyone. She graciously declined our offer to nominate her for the Guggenheim, the ACLS, and/or the National Humanities Center Fellowships... but it wasn't until later that I found out why!"

While the MacArthur Fellowship is an independent honor, Dr. Paik's impactful work and Nationally Competitive Award are in lockstep with the Office of Research's efforts to advance and grow research that addresses society's grand challenges and our commitment to elevating researchers who are, like her, solving problems that matter and improving people's lives.