Sarah Otto was just a click away from ignoring the biggest honour of her career.

The University of British Columbia evolutionary geneticist was on sabbatical when she received a secretive email about a prize that begged her to get in touch with the sender as soon as possible.

“It looked like spam to me,” Otto, 43, said. “I was just about to delete it when I Googled the sender’s name.”

But this was no scam, as Otto soon found out the email was from a panellist on the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, renowned for recognizing geniuses around the world and giving them $500,000 grants ‘ with no strings attached ‘ to help further their research.

Otto, who uses mathematical models to explain evolutionary paths, was instantly catapulted into genius status and is still in shock.

“It’s one of those awards that you hear about all the time and are amazed by the people that receive them,” she said.

“It’s a huge honour and shock, because I’m surrounded by so many creative geniuses in my field and at UBC.”