The Smithsonian Institution usually highlights physical items of historical or cultural significance. However, the Smithsonian magazine is focusing on people with historical or cultural significance for its American Ingenuity Awards. According to the A.V. Club, the winners come from nine different categories, which are related to the improvement of society in some way. This year, the winners included Aziz Ansari, David Lynch, and the members of OK Go. The winners will be highlighted at an awards ceremony on December 8, and each honoree will be included in a special American Ingenuity Awards issue of the Smithsonian magazine. You can find the list of honorees below:
Social Progress:Â Marc Edwards and LeeAnne Walters, a professor and mother who helped spread awareness of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
History: Sarah Parcak, a “space archaeologist†who uses satellite imagery to discover ancient sites.
Youth Achievement:Â Christopher Gray, a high-school student who developed an app that helps students find scholarships for college.
Technology:Â Jeff Bezos, a rich businessman whose Blue Origin company is making big advancements in space travel.
Visual Arts: Ok Go, for its zero-gravity music video.
Performing Arts: Aziz Ansari, for his “fresh and innovative television showâ€Â Master of None.
Education: David Lynch, for promoting the benefits of transcendental meditation in “high-stress†schools.
Physical Sciences:Â Kip Thorne, Ray Weiss, Barry Barish, and Ronald Drever, for observing gravitational waves for the first time ever.
Life Sciences:Â Anthony Atala, for his work on 3-D-printed blood vessels.