Quizzes & Puzzles How Much Do You Know about Big Red Laureates? Test your prizewinner IQ with 12 questions about alums who’ve won the Nobel, Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Pulitzer, and more! 1) In 2023, Claudia Goldin ’67 became the first woman ever to win a solo Nobel in her category. What was it? Physiology / medicine Economics Physics Chemistry None 2) For what novel did Junot Díaz, MFA ’95, win the 2008 Pulitzer for fiction? “The Corrections” “Cloud Atlas” “Middlesex” “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” None 3) Film editor Thelma Schoonmaker ’61 won an Academy Award for each of these movies, except… “Raging Bull” “Goodfellas” “The Aviator” “The Departed” None 4) In the 2010s, Sam Gold ’00 won the Tony for best direction of a musical—for what show? “Dear Evan Hansen” “Come From Away” “Fun Home” “The Book of Mormon” None 5) Which alumni author won the Presidential Medal of Freedom? Toni Morrison, MA ’55 E.B. White 1921 Pearl Buck, MA 1925 All of the above None 6) Veteran movie and TV producer Scott Ferguson ’82, BA ’83, holds numerous Primetime Emmys, including for an HBO show that was named outstanding drama series three times. What is it? “Succession” “Six Feet Under” “Game of Thrones” “The Wire” None 7) Journalist Molly O’Toole ’09 won the first-ever Pulitzer awarded in what category? Audio reporting Micro-blogging Instagram reels AI-assisted journalism None 8) As a member of the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, Peter Yarrow ’59 won his first Grammy for what song? “Blowin’ in the Wind” “Puff, the Magic Dragon” “If I Had a Hammer” “Leaving on a Jet Plane” None 9) What honor do plant biologist Zachary Lippman ’00, author Ling Ma, MFA ’16, engineer John Ochsendorf ’96, and artist/architect Amanda Williams ’97 have in common? Fulbright Fellowship MacArthur “genius grant” Rhodes Scholarship Breakthrough Prize None 10) How many Big Red alumni have won the Nobel Peace Prize? 0 1 2 3 None 11) What honor was bestowed on “Science Guy” Bill Nye ’77 in early 2025? Presidential Medal of Freedom Emmy for lifetime achievement National Medal of Science Pulitzer in nonfiction None EXTRA CREDIT! What investigations by Cornellian researchers have won the “Ig Nobel”—given to projects that apply solid, peer-reviewed science to seemingly whimsical topics? How much bee stings hurt Why procrastination can be useful The health benefits of transporting rhinos upside-down All of the above None Time’s up (Top: Illustration by Cornell University) Published June 16, 2025 Comments Tim Lynch, Class of 1990 18 Jun, 2025 6/12 — not bad, but not deserving of any awards, unlike the quiz subjects! Reply Salim Chishti, Class of 1972 20 Jun, 2025 Embarassingly 3/10 but I was guessing for most of them. Survey says I’m at the bottom of the slope! Reply Eric R Kierstead, Class of 1983 24 Jun, 2025 4 out of 10, pretty much the same as my engineering test scores. At least I’m consistent 🙂 Reply Terri Ann Lowenthal, Class of 1980 24 Jun, 2025 That was fun! 7/12 with a few knowledge-based selections, but mostly educated guesses. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Cornelliana Colors of the Wind: Dragon Day Beast Gets an Artistic Twist Alumni Alum’s Nonprofit Combats the Mental Health Crisis in Rural U.S. Campus & Beyond Lacrosse Wins the NCAA Title—and Big Red Fans Rejoice