John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: MacArthur Fellow

--MacArthur Fellows are selected for their creativity, originality, and potential to make important contributions in the future. Each recipient receives $500,000 in "no strings attached" support over a five year period. The Fellowships come without stipulations or reporting requirements, offering the opportunity for Fellows to accelerate their current activities or take their work in new directions. The unusual level of independence afforded to Fellows underscores the spirit of freedom intrinsic to creative endeavors. Fellowships are awarded to women and men of all ages and at all career stages; the extraordinary creativity of MacArthur Fellows knows neither boundaries nor the constraints of age, place and endeavor.

• Luis von Ahn, 2006