Howard Chiang was poring over medical records from 1950s Shanghai when he uncovered a forgotten chapter of transgender history—one shaped not by Western ideals, but by Cold War geopolitics. Now, his groundbreaking work has earned him one of nine Dan David Prizes awarded this year, each carrying $300,000 to support visionary research into the human past. From medieval timekeeping to ancient Inca roads, this year’s laureates are redefining how we understand history, not as a fixed narrative but as a living, contested terrain.
Awarded by the Dan David Foundation at Tel Aviv University, the prize honors early- and mid-career scholars whose work challenges conventional views of history and archaeology. The 2026 recipients, selected from around the world, reflect the global scope of historical inquiry today. Their research spans continents and centuries—from Dagomar Degroot’s study of how civilizations adapted to ice ages, offering crucial insights for our climate-challenged present, to investigations of violence and memory in the Balkans, where the past continues to shape national identities.
Among the honorees is Chiang, a historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara, whose work reframes transgender history through the lens of East Asian medical modernity and global political divides. His archival discoveries have led to a new paradigm: one where gender transition is not just a personal journey but a geopolitical phenomenon, shaped by diplomacy, ideology, and scientific exchange. Degroot, an environmental historian at Georgetown University, examines how societies from the Dutch Republic to the Maya thrived—or collapsed—during periods of abrupt climate change, offering lessons for resilience in an era of global warming.
The awards were presented at a ceremony in Italy, where Ariel David, board member and son of the late prize founder Dan David, praised the winners for expanding the boundaries of historical understanding. "They challenge us to see the past, and our present, in a new light," he said—a sentiment echoed by the diversity and urgency of the research honored this year.
Since its inception, the Dan David Prize has celebrated transformative thinkers, from novelist Margaret Atwood to cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Dr. Anthony Fauci. By investing in scholars at pivotal stages of their careers, the prize not only recognizes achievement but fuels the next generation of discovery. In a world where history is increasingly weaponized or erased, these nine researchers remind us that understanding the human past is not an academic luxury—it’s a necessity for a more just and informed future.