The 2011 MacArthur Fellows Innovative Geniuses
Shortly after 11PM Monday, the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundation announced this years 2011 MacArthur Grant Fellows, each of the 22 recipients will receive a staggering $500,000 — no strings attached over the next five years. This is a highlight videos features a few fellows selected include: Jad Abumrad a radio host and producer of the nationally syndicated program Radiolab. Abumrad is known for infusing his background as a composer to orchestrate dialogue, music, and sound effects into compelling documentaries that draw listeners into investigations of otherwise intimidating topics, such as the nature of numbers, the evolution of altruism, or the science of emergent phenomena within ant colonies and other complex systems.
Anther exceptional fellow is Chicago Architect Jeanne Gang. As a MacArthur fellow, Gang’s firm Studio Gang Architects designed the 82-story Aqua Tower at Columbus near Randolph among other works, like all the other fellow will receive $500,000 – no strings attached – over the next five years. Informally dubbed the “genius grant,” the foundation has awarded individuals with exceptional creativity and promise. Gang was cited for “integrating conventional materials, bold yet functional designs, and ecological technology in a wide range of striking structures.”
