MIT Women, Harvard’s Vijay Iyer Win $625,000 Grants

Pianists Jeremy Denk and Vijay Iyer and Karen Russell, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her 2011 novel, “Swamplandia,” are among the winners of the 2013 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur “genius” grants.

This year’s 24 winners will have more money to spend than their predecessors since the gifts were increased to $625,000 from $500,000. The no-strings attached grants are paid in annual installments of $125,000 for 5 years. Winners range in age from 32 to 60.