***Update 15 Oct 2012***
Lloyd Shapley and Al Roth are co-winners of this year's Nobel Prize in Economics for their work on matching mechanisms!!! Well deserved award.
Washington Post writeup here.
Marginal Revolution writeup here.
Nobel Prize writeup here.
What the are market design and matching mechanisms fields? I guarantee that most economists have no idea. Read below to find out. Lots of links and examples to impress your friends and colleagues at the water cooler.