June Eric-Udorie's Appetite for Fighting Injustice
At 18, Eric Udorie's written about gender rights-related topics for major publications including the Guardian, New Statesman, Fusion.
Profile
Anthony Lee Zhang's Stock of Human Knowledge
"Being an academic requires the courage to stand behind good ideas despite opposition," says Zhang, who is on our list of the top 30 thinkers under 30.
Thomas Tasche's Steady Inquisitiveness
Tasche's work directly challenges a lot of the reductionist narratives that swirl around politics and, by extension, the media that covers it.
Alexis Toliver's Advocacy for the Voiceless
"I honestly think that it will take a person with autism to find the 'cure' to autism, so that the world understands that autism doesn't need to be cured," Toliver says.
Peng Shi's Human Approach to Data
If the world is a global marketplace, Shi's research tries to help make it more efficient and equitable by applying mathematics to assess and improve the way we make decisions.
Boyan Slat's Plan to Clean Earth's Oceans
When asked whether he feels people doubt him more because he's young, Slat says, "Yes, but I never felt youth to be a disadvantage."
Erin Schrode's Plan to Run for Congress
"We have a gaping hole, a desperate need for young women in government," says Schrode, who is on this year's list of the top 30 thinkers under 30.
Hannah Safford's Push for Environmentally Sustainable Policies
Safford is committed to applying her talents and work ethic to a noble and necessary goal: using policy to change the way we think about human existence.
Annie Ryu's Blueprint for a Non-Exploitative, Global Supply Chain
The 26-year-old's social entrepreneurship centers around jackfruit, a large, green, studded fruit native to Southeast Asia.
Aviva Rosman's Fight For the Well-Informed Voter
Rosman co-founded BallotReady, a non-partisan online voter guide with a mission to make it easier for voters to make informed choices throughout an entire ballot, not just the top-ballot race that gets the most media coverage.
Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán's Transgender Activism
Rodríguez-Roldán's efforts center on engaging with policymakers throughout Congress and various government agencies to help promote policies that will benefit the trans community.
Jesse Reising's Perseverance in the Face of Adversity
"Education can help harness veterans' patriotic energy in ways that improve our nation," says Reising, who is on our list of the top 30 thinkers under 30.
Sam Pressler's Cathartic Comedy
Pressler founded the Armed Services Arts Partnership, a non-profit that provides free arts programming for veterans and their families to express their experiences.
Conny Caruso's Love for Her Homeboys and Homegirls
Besides raising money, organizing events, and getting Hollywood bigwigs involved with Homeboy Industries, Caruso spends hours each week with reformed ex-convicts.
Tamara Patton's Focus on Nuclear Disarmament
As a Ph.D. at Princeton University, 28-year-old Patton studies arms control and disarmament issues with a particular focus on the role of virtual reality.
Alexander Peysakhovich's Theory on Artificial Intelligence
Peysakhovich's interdisciplinary work is driven by his deep interest in understanding decision-making—both human and machine.
Estella Pyfrom's Drive for Brilliant Ideas
Pyfrom used her retirement money to buy and customize a bus and outfit it with computers, creating a mobile classroom that she called Estella's Brilliant Bus.
Daquan Oliver's Definition of Entrepreneurial Success
"One of the philosophies I live by is embracing chaos—or the idea that chaos is just tragedy plus opportunity," says Oliver, who is on our list of the top 30 thinkers under the age of 30.
Jaime Yrastorza's Surgical Philanthropy
In his work for the non-profit Uplift Internationale, Yrastorza has personally done about 100 facial surgeries, many on preschoolers.
Sara Minkara's Vision for a More Inclusive World
Initially focusing on Lebanon, where her parents are from, Minkara worked with children who had been overlooked by society owing to their visual impairments.
Wilhelmina Perry's Intersectional Activism
Perry's proactive work in the intersection of gayness, religiousness, and blackness won her an Encore Purpose Prize fellowship, a competitive award for seniors.
Bernadette Lim's Grassroots Feminism
Lim's non-profit, Women SPEAK, cultivates mentorship among young women over subjects like positive body image, healthy relationships, media literacy, and leadership.
Michael Li's Fascination With the Human Mind
Even while rubbing shoulders with Nobel laureates—and standing next to Neil deGrasse Tyson—Li maintains a youthful wonder and humility that will serve him well.
Kitty Williams' Powerful Connection to Judaism
After almost three horrific months in Auschwitz, Williams volunteered for a task force and did hard labor for the rest of World War II.