ANN ARBOR—For their distinguished achievement and exceptional promise for future accomplishment, three U-M faculty members have been awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship for their research.

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awarded the 181 fellowships Thursday to individuals from nearly 3,000 applicants.

The U-M fellows and the topics for which they were honored are:

• David J. Hancock, professor of history: “The cosmopolite: William Petty-Fitzmaurice, 2nd earl of Shelburne, and the end of enlightenment.”

• Elisha P. Renne, professor of anthropology and associate chair, Department of Afroamerican and African Studies: “Veils, turbans, and Islamic reform in northern Nigeria.”

• Mrinalini Sinha, Alice Freeman Palmer Professor of History: “Complete political independence: the curious history of a nationalist Indian demand.”

Since its establishment in 1925, the Foundation has granted more than $298 million in Fellowships to more than 17,300 individuals. Scores of Nobel, Pulitzer, and other prize winners are listed among the rolls of the Foundation’s Fellows.

The full list of 2012 fellows is available at www.gf.org.