Adam Riess, an astrophysicist from Maryland, was selected to receive a $500,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Riess is a professor of Astronomy and Physics at Johns Hopkins University.ShawPrize: Adam Riess Biography He discovered an exploding star called a Type la supernova, and was also the lead author on a paper that revealed the universe is constantly expanding because of the force "dark energy."BaltimoreSun: Genius In Our Midst Riess has considered using the money to help make a new optical technology that will make the supernovae stars easier to find in his telescopic images.BaltimoreSun: Genius In Our Midst