Monitor contributor wins aid to pursue research

Monitor conrtibutor Richard Critchfield is one of 19 winners of MacArthur Foundation fellowships, which awards money with "no strings attached" for five years as part of a $10 million program.

Mr. Critchfield is writing a book about life in villages around the world.

No direct self-applications are accepted for the fellowships. Instead, the foundation has designated about 100 "scouts" in various fields from all parts of the country to submit nominations.

"The search is for people at the frontiers of knowledge with the hope that, free of pressures and distractions, they will cross the frontier. We hope this program will lead to discoveries of other significant contributions to society that might otherwise not be made," John E. Corbally, the foundation president, said.