Foundation scholarships to help peace research

The MacArthur Foundation, best known for surprising talented artists and scientists by dropping money in their laps, is now throwing its millions in a new direction: peace through scholarship. MacArthur will spend $25 million over the next three years in an effort to produce new thinking on how the world might avoid nuclear war, foundation officials announced Thursday.

The money will support international security research at 25 US institutions, such as the Rand Corporation, and Georgetown University's Center for Strategic and International Studies.

``In a world capable of almost instant self-destruction, we must rethink our options and discover new strategies that will ensure a safer and more secure world,'' says Dr. Jerome Wiesner, chairman of the foundation's International Security Committee.

A foundation study has determined that non-Pentagon US study in this area is seriously underfunded and is undertaken by a ``disturbingly small cadre of individuals.''