Joseph Stiglitz is University Professor at Columbia University, the winner of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, and a lead author of the 1995 IPCC report, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. He is also the cochair of Columbia's Committee on Global Thought. He was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton and chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank from 19972000. Stiglitz received the John Bates Clark Medal, awarded to the American economist under 40 who has made the most significant contribution in the field. He is the author most recently of The Price of Inequality. In 2011, Time named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, selforganized events that bring people together to share a TEDlike experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, selforganized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are selforganized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)