Ansari, Bezos, Flint heroes to be honoured for ‘Ingenuity’

WASHINGTON – A mother and a college professor who exposed the Flint, Michigan, water crisis are being honoured with American Ingenuity Awards.

Smithsonian magazine announced Monday that the winners of prizes for innovations in art, science and culture include Michigan mother LeeAnne Walters and Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech professor she recruited to test the water.

Others include comedian Aziz Ansari; Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon.com; “space archaeologist” Sarah Parcak, who finds ancient sites using satellites and Christopher Gray, whose Scholly app matches students to scholarships.

Also honoured are OK Go’s Damian Kulash and Trish Sie, who redefined music videos and director David Lynch, who is bringing meditation to inner-city schools.

The ceremony is Dec. 8.