Two University of Michigan professors, Benjamin Brose and Martin Murray, have been honored with the esteemed 2025 Guggenheim Fellowships. These fellowships recognize their significant achievements and potential for future contributions. Announced by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, they are among 198 fellows from the U.S. and Canada, spanning 53 disciplines. Edward Hirsch, president of the Guggenheim Foundation, emphasized the fellows’ capability to address current global challenges, stating, “We believe that these creative thinkers can take on the challenges we all face today and guide our society towards a better and more hopeful future.”
Benjamin Brose’s Buddhist Studies Research
Benjamin Brose, a professor of Chinese and Buddhist studies, chairs the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. His research delves into the history of Buddhism in China and East Asian cultural exchanges. Brose’s project is centered on Gao Henian (1872-1962), who embarked on a transformative pilgrimage across China in 1890. This journey took Gao to numerous Buddhist and Daoist sites, fostering connections with leading monks and witnessing pivotal periods in Chinese history. Gao’s extensive travelogue provides an insightful account of life from the Qing dynasty to the Republican era. Brose expressed gratitude for the Guggenheim support, stating, “This fellowship will make it possible for me to devote the next year to work on a new book project focused on the lives of Buddhist monastics and laypeople in China during the transformative and tumultuous period from 1860 to 1960.”
Martin Murray’s Urban Planning Insights
Martin Murray, a professor at the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, specializes in global urbanism with a focus on Johannesburg. His research spans urban studies, cultural geography, and the development of privately planned cities in Africa. Murray is intrigued by the transformation of urban spaces, particularly in deindustrializing Detroit. His project examines the fate of abandoned spaces and distressed neighborhoods characterized by high vacancy and reduced services. Murray expressed his honor at receiving the fellowship, stating, “I have gained a great deal of personal satisfaction with exploring out-of-the-way places and the people who inhabit them. It is an honor that the Guggenheim Fellowship people have considered what I am doing worthy of recognition.”
The Guggenheim Fellowships were awarded after a competitive review process, selecting from nearly 3,500 applicants. Each fellow receives financial support to pursue independent work with maximum freedom. Since 1925, the Guggenheim Foundation has granted over $400 million to more than 19,000 fellows, supporting innovative research and creative projects.
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