As a journalist reporting on China, Sheryl WuDunn saw the everyday oppression of women around the world. She and Nick Kristof wrote "Half the Sky," chronicling women's stories of horror and, especially, hope.

Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

As an emerging markets investor, Ravin Agrawal tries to predict the future, balancing economic, political and technological factors.

The founder of the MIT Media Lab, Nicholas Negroponte pushed the edge of the information revolution as an inventor, thinker and angel investor. He's the driving force behind One Laptop per Child, building computers for children in the developing world.

Nandan Nilekani is the author of "Imagining India," a radical re-thinking of one of the world’s great economies. The co-founder of Infosys, he helped move India into the age of IT.

Kavita Ramdas directs the Global Fund for Women, the largest foundation in the world supporting women's human rights across all borders.

Co-founder of FEED and creator of The 30 Project, Ellen Gustafson is trying to change the way the world eats.

Iqbal Quadir is an advocate of business as a humanitarian tool. With GrameenPhone, he brought the first commercial telecom services to poor areas of Bangladesh. His latest project will help rural entrepreneurs build power plants.

In her poems and plays, Suheir Hammad blends the stories and sounds of her Palestinian-American heritage with the vibrant language of Brooklyn to create a passionately modern voice.

In Hans Rosling’s hands, data sings. Global trends in health and economics come to vivid life. And the big picture of global development -- with some surprisingly good news -- snaps into sharp focus.

Sophal Ear leads research on post-conflict countries -- looking at the effectiveness of foreign aid and the challenge of development in places like his native land, Cambodia.

Today roads, sidewalks, bridges and skyscrapers are made of a material called concrete. There's three tons of it for every person on earth. It's also played a surprisingly large role in rising global temperatures over the last century. So, what exactly makes concrete problematic, and what can we do to fix it? Explore how scientists are working t...

Sleep -- we spend one-third of our lives doing it, but what exactly do we get out of it? And how can we do it better? In this new TED series, sleep scientist Matt Walker uncovers the facts and secrets behind our nightly slumber. Tune in weekly for better zzz's!

Shimon Steinberg's biotech lab researches ways to harness the natural benefits of insects on a massive scale.

Economist Dr. Raghuram Rajan proposes that world leaders allow the state and institutions to manage economic health, neglecting a crucial component of prosperity: the "third pillar" of locally based communities.

IBM's Charity Wayua is a research manager in Nairobi, Kenya, where she leads the company's public sector research team.

William Ury is a mediator, writer and speaker, working with conflicts ranging from family feuds to boardroom battles to ethnic wars. He's the author of "Getting to Yes."

A third of the world watched live as the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001; a third more heard about it within 24 hours. (Do you remember where you were?) So exhibits at the soon-to-open 9/11 Memorial Museum will reflect the diversity of the world's experiences of that day. In a moving talk, designer Jake Barton gives a peek at ...

At Purpose, Jeremy Heimans strategizes how to harness new social, economic and technological models to build movements with impact.

Julian Treasure helps people and businesses to listen consciously, speak powerfully and design healthy, productive soundscapes.

Hilary Cottam wants to redesign the welfare state using the power of relationships.

Global food production — from meat to grains — accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, says sustainability scientist Jonathan Foley. He presents a portfolio of data-backed solutions to build a better food system world-wide, starting with four key steps to cut emissions.

If Chinese millenials were their own country, they would have the third largest population in the world, says Sebastian Guo. They are well-educated, super motivated and the largest emerging consumer demographic on the planet. So why is it that the business world is still obsessed with understanding American millenials? In his passionate and pers...

Magatte Wade creates jobs in Africa -- and calls attention to the obstacles to job creation on the continent.

Franco Sacchi is the director of This Is Nollywood, the story of Nigeria's massive homegrown film industry.

A researcher at the London think tank Demos, Charles Leadbeater was early to notice the rise of "amateur innovation" -- great ideas from outside the traditional walls, from people who suddenly have the tools to collaborate, innovate and make their expertise known.

As the leader of Darpana, Mallika Sarabhai is a pioneer in using dance and the arts for social change.

As leading advocate for Western Investment into Africa, BCG's Euvin Naidoo works with leading corporations and governments to strengthen trans-Atlantic economic ties.

University student Ione Wells is the founder of the international #NotGuilty campaign against sexual violence and misdirected victim blaming.