Sam Maher became an internet sensation by busking with the handpan—a rare, saucer-shaped percussion instrument—in the New York City subway, which launched a global career of performing and sharing the instrument’s peaceful sound with millions online and in over 22 countries.
Susie is dedicated to improving sexual and reproductive health, and using her medical expertise and research to combat human trafficking and support its survivors.
Dr. Todd P. Coleman is a leading innovator of flexible bio-electronics (or “tattoos”) and novel analytics designed to enable inconspicuous, wireless health monitoring and improve patient outcomes, particularly in areas like perinatal and chronic disease management.
Dr. Sam Sternberg is a key scientist in the CRISPR revolution, known for co-inventing the Cas12a system while advocating for the ethical use of human gene editing.
Abraham Verghese is a physician and bestselling author who has successfully combined his career as a doctor with a commitment to storytelling and advocating for the humanistic value of the patient-centered physical exam in modern medicine.
Dr. Vivek Murthy served as the 19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon General and is known for tackling the opioid crisis, declaring loneliness a public health epidemic, and advocating for system-wide solutions to address health worker burnout.
Dr. Floyd Romesberg has gained international recognition for successfully creating a semi-synthetic organism with an expanded, six-letter DNA alphabet, a breakthrough that formed the basis of the biotech company Synthorx and is now being used to engineer novel protein therapeutics.
Dr. Jennifer Stellar directs research into the pro-social and healing effects of positive emotions, notably demonstrating that experiencing awe can lead to biological changes like reduced inflammation to improve overall health and stress response.
Daniel Bergner, a critically acclaimed international journalist and author, disrupts assumptions about female sexual desire and the science of promiscuity. Through his work with psychologists, psychiatrists, and primatologists, Daniel calls into doubt the prevailing evolutionary theory that women are naturally less libidinous than men, and that women, because they bear babies, are genetically driven to seek out emotionally close, monogamous romantic relationships. A contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, Daniel is also author of four books of nonfiction, including What Do Women Want? and The Other Side of Desire. His provocative writing has appeared in popular magazines such as The Atlantic, Harper’s, Granta, and Mother Jones.
A clinical psychologist and leader in prison healthcare, Cheryl is known for pioneering the Gold Coat Programs at the California Men’s Colony, where she trains carefully selected inmates to serve as compassionate peer-to-peer caregivers for aging and cognitively impaired fellow inmates.