Duke Professor Felipe de Brigard Wins MacArthur Grant
The philosophy professor receives an $800,000 grant for his research on human memory and forgiveness.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Social Sciences
Live Poll
Should private organizations provide significant funding for academic scientific research?
Duke University philosophy professor Felipe de Brigard was named a 2026 MacArthur Fellow on September 29, 2026. He is one of 20 scholars selected this year for the prestigious award, which provides an $800,000 grant to support future research.
Why it matters
The fellowship recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional creativity and a history of significant accomplishments in their fields. De Brigard plans to utilize the funding to advance his Memory and Forgiveness project, which includes experimental work on hippocampal function.
De Brigard received an $800,000 award as one of 20 selected fellows, marking the fifth time a Duke University professor has earned the honor. His upcoming experiments will utilize specialized testing to investigate the functional mechanisms of the hippocampus.
The players
Felipe de Brigard
He is a professor of philosophy at Duke University with appointments in neuroscience and psychology.
MacArthur Foundation
This private foundation awards fellowships to individuals showing exceptional creativity and promise.
Duke University
This private research university located in Durham is the home institution of Felipe de Brigard.
The details
De Brigard, who joined the Duke faculty in 2013, holds appointments in neuroscience and psychology alongside his philosophy role. His research career includes foundational work shadowing medical professionals to study brain trauma in soldiers.
Timeline
2005: De Brigard left Tufts University.
2013: De Brigard joined the Duke University philosophy department.
September 29, 2026: The MacArthur Fellowship was publicly announced.
2026: De Brigard was selected for the MacArthur Fellowship.
The Big Picture
The MacArthur Foundation Fellowship program historically identifies scholars with high potential for future breakthroughs in their respective disciplines. This award follows the established pattern of the program identifying leading interdisciplinary researchers like de Brigard.
This research could eventually offer new insights into how human memory functions and the underlying cognitive processes related to forgiveness. The work may influence future therapeutic approaches for patients dealing with hippocampal-related memory issues.
The takeaway
The fellowship provides a significant boost to de Brigard's exploration of the intersection between philosophy and cognitive science. Scholars often use such grants to bridge gaps between abstract theoretical work and concrete experimental observation.
Further reading
For more information on current academic research, visit the Social Sciences section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Duke Chronicle.
Live Poll
Should private organizations provide significant funding for academic scientific research?
