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MacArthur Foundation Awards 'Genius' Grants to 24 Sunday, October 05, 2003 7:41 a.m. ET CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation on Sunday announced the winners of its $500,000 "genius" awards, 24 scholars, scientists, artists and human rights campaigners. The foundation's no-strings-attached five-year grants can be used any way the recipients choose and are aimed at freeing them to pursue their work. Among this year's winners are a former Reuters photographer who is now a human rights activist in Sierra Leone, a San Francisco advocate for troubled teenagers, a Boston-based gynecologist who helps victims of female circumcision, a short story writer, and a biomedical engineer specializing in the science of human locomotion. Photographer Corrine Dufka, 46, covered the civil war in Sierra Leone for Reuters, then reported on human rights violations in the West African nation for Human Rights Watch. She now works for the United Nation's Chief of Investigations and the prosecutor on the U.N.-backed court for Sierra Leone. Grant-winner Lateefah Simon, 26, is director of a program in San Francisco that mentors teen-agers addicted to drugs or with a criminal past. Gynecologist Nawal Nour, 37, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, was rewarded for her work with women immigrants -- including those from her native Sudan -- who have health problems caused by female circumcision. Writer, translator and teacher Lydia Davis, 56, was rewarded for her experimental writings, including her latest collection of "literary miniatures" entitled "Samuel Johnson is Indignant." Scientist James Collins, 38, of Boston University, was given a grant for his work exploring the biological systems that govern movement. His discoveries have aided the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, and helped older people stay steady on their feet using vibrating footpads. SOURCE: Reuters / Wired News http://tinyurl.com/ps3o Reference: The MacArthur Foundation http://www.macfound.org/ The MacArthur Fellows Program http://www.macfound.org/programs/fel/fel_overview.htm List of 2003 MacArthur Foundation Fellows (Salt Lake Tribune, UT) http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Oct/10052003/nation_w/98821.asp Granted, They're All Geniuses (Washington Post) The MacArthur Foundation Honors 24 With $12 Million http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45408-2003Oct4.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn