Each Fellow receives $625,000 to support and further their work.
"The fellowship is designed to provide recipients with the flexibility to pursue their own artistic, intellectual, and professional activities in the absence of specific obligations or reporting requirements," $4.
This year's class has a diverse set of talents - from discovering the nature of prime numbers to educating public defenders - and ages, ranging from 32 to 71 years old.
See $4, and read on to find out how they're changing the world.