Red and black ink covers the pages of a 15th-century book. They crackled as Timothy Barrett carefully turned them.
Most people would probably ask the title of the book.
But Barrett wants to know the kind of paper it’s printed on.
And it was this UI faculty member’s passion for paper that earned him a $500,000 award — nicknamed the “genius grant” — from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
The foundation gave out 24 of these awards, to be used over the course of five years, Tuesday to unsuspecting recipients from all over the globe.
Barrett piqued the foundation’s interest because of his research regarding the use of gelatin in 15th-century paper. He discovered people used gelatin in paper in the 1400s to keep ink from running.
The gelatin also gave paper a parchment-like appearance, making it more attractive to use, he found.
A foundation representative made the call to Barrett when he was in a meeting, the researcher recalled.
“I remember I hit the silence button,” he said, but the phone kept ringing, and he finally decided he should answer it.
“First the caller asked me if I was sitting down, then he told me about the grant and told me I couldn’t tell anyone but my wife,” he said.
Sworn to secrecy, Barrett had to withhold the happy news until the formal announcement early Tuesday morning.
And when everyone finally did find out, it didn’t really shock them, they said.
“Given the amount of dedication, not just the sincerity, he puts into his work, it’s really no surprise,” said Barrett’s research assistant, Arindam Majumdar.
Kathryn Hodson, a staff member of the Main Library Special Collections, said she’s seen Barrett at work since he began his research in the vault there a little over a year ago.
“It’s a tremendous award,” she said. “He’s very deserving of it.”
Barrett said he had no idea how far a career in papermaking could take him.
He talked about growing up loving activities which involved working with his hands. Eventually, after earning a Fulbright Scholarship to study the art of papermaking in Japan, he knew he found his calling.
But there was one problem.
“I still had no idea how the hell I was going to make my living,” he said.
Eventually he found his way to the UI, where he now teaches in the UI Center for the Book, conducts research, and works at a papermaking facility on the UI Oakdale Research Campus.
More than anything, Barrett said, he sees this grant as a chance for his field to gain some recognition.
Still, the award-winner knows he’ll use the money to continue his research on gelatin in paper-making. Hopefully, he said, he’ll explore other 15th-century papermaking techniques and begin researching for a book on Western papermaking.