Math, Science and the Future of Our Nation

Former Vice President Al Gore is cofounder of Generation Investment Management and of Current TV, where he currently serves as Chairman. He's been a leading advocate for confronting the threat of global warming since his earliest days in Congress. He authored An Inconvenient Truth, a best-selling book on the threat of global warming, and the subject of the movie of the same title.

Arne Duncan was nominated to be secretary of education by President-elect Barack Obama and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2009. Prior to his appointment as secretary of education, Duncan served as the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools, where his mandate was to raise education standards and performance, improve teacher and principal quality, and increase learning options.

Dean Kamen is an inventor and entrepreneur. Kamen is the founder of DEKA Research & Development Corporation and FIRST®, an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use and enjoy science and technology.

Dr. Sally Ride is an American physicist and former NASA astronaut. She is President and CEO of Sally Ride Science, a company that creates science programs for upper elementary and middle school students.

Jamie Hyneman, co-host of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters, is a multifaceted man. He’s been a wilderness survival expert, boat captain, diver, linguist, animal wrangler and cook. In addition to his work on MythBusters, Jamie is founder of M5 Industries, an effects, research and development shop for a variety of industries.

Adam Savage, co-host of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters, has spent his life gathering skills that allow him to take what's in his brain and make it real. He’s held positions as an animator, graphic designer, stage designer, welder, toy designer and scenic painter. Today, Adam teaches, lectures and consults on a variety of topics.

Kudo is the Creative Director of Kinect for Xbox 360 and General Manager for three internal game studios at Microsoft. Prior to joining Microsoft Game Studios in 2008, Kudo was the General Manager and Executive Producer of EA Chicago. During his 13-year tenure in the video game industry, Kudo has designed genre defining features as “Fight Night’s” Total Punch Control system and the Army Men Air Attack Winch Mechanic.