Michael Bierut is a partner in the New York office of Pentagram, a founder of Design Observer and a teacher at Yale School of Art and Yale School of Management.

Jean-Baptiste Michel looks at how we can use large volumes of data to better understand our world.

Erez Lieberman Aiden pursues a broad range of research interests, spanning genomics, linguistics, mathematics ...

Jay Walker is fascinated by intellectual property in all its forms. His firm, Walker Digital, created Priceline and many other businesses that reframe old problems with new IT. In his private life, he's a bibliophile and collector on an epic scale.

Gregory Heyworth uses spectral imaging technology to uncover lost classics that could rewrite history.

Ann Morgan challenged herself to read a book from every country in the world.

Dawn Wacek advocates for equitable library service for all community members.

Gary Vaynerchuk's Wine Library TV combines an irreverent approach to wine and a shrewd social media strategy. It won him web fame and the cachet to spin off book deals, new businesses and his own entrepreneurship consulting firm.

Chera Kowalski is championing the transformation of her library into a safe, responsive space for the community it serves.

Director of the New America Foundation Energy Policy Initiative, Lisa Margonelli writes about the global culture and economy of energy.

Maria Popova thinks and writes about science and art, poetry and philosophy, children's books and our search for meaning -- about what it means to live a decent, inspired, substantive life of purpose and gladness, wonder-smitten by reality.

Joshua Prince-Ramus is best known as architect of the Seattle Central Library, already being hailed as a masterpiece of contemporary culture. Prince-Ramus was the founding partner of OMA New York—the American affiliate of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in the Netherlands—and served as its Principal until he renamed the firm REX in 2006.

While at Apple, Mike Matas helped write the user interface for the iPhone and iPad. Now with Push Pop Press, he's helping to rewrite the electronic book.

Neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl pioneered an approach to psychotherapy that focuses on the human search for meaning.

Baratunde Thurston is an Emmy-nominated writer, activist and comedian who addresses serious issues with depth, wit and calls to action. He believes the stories we tell help shape the world in which we live. Also, he's from the future.

Groomed for terror, Zak Ebrahim chose a different life. The author of The Terrorist's Son, he hopes his story will inspire others to reject a path of violence.

At XponentialWorks, Avi Reichental is helping to imagine a future where 3D scanning-and-printing is an everyday act -- where food, clothing and objects are routinely output at home.

Clint Smith's work blends art and activism.

Pete Alcorn is the head of podcasting for Apple, and a veteran of the paper-publishing industry.

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels.

Hrishikesh Hirway is the host, creator and executive producer of Song Exploder, a podcast and Netflix series about the creative process of songwriting.

Known for her compassionate work with the terminally ill, Joan Halifax is a driving force of socially engaged Buddhism.

Moshe Safdie's buildings -- from grand libraries to intimate apartment complexes -- explore the qualities of light and the nature of private and public space.

Through her music and writing, Rosanne Cash seeks to connect, find community and create.

Jamey Stillings' multi-decade career spans documentary, fine art and commissioned work.

Techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci asks big questions about our societies and our lives, as both algorithms and digital connectivity spread.

Chip Conley disrupted the hospitality industry -- twice.

As CEO of Citizen University, Eric Liu is working to spark a civic revival in the US and beyond.

Tasos Frantzolas lives and creates at the intersection of audio and technology.

Sylvia Earle has been at the forefront of ocean exploration for more than four decades. The winner of the 2009 TED Prize, she's a tireless advocate for our oceans.