Age32 years old years old

Hometown Daytona Beach, FL

Claim to Fame Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics, Harvard University

Bio A economics scholar who isn't afraid to leap into his areas of expertise headfirst, 32-year-old Roland Fryer has won a laundry list of fellowships and awards for his work as an "unapologetic analyst of American inequality." In addition to becoming the youngest African American to receive tenure from Harvard, the Daytona Beach, Florida native has served as the Chief Equality Officer at the New York City Department of Education and was honored this year as one of Time magazines's 100 Most Influential People in the world. And the accolades are sure to keep coming as Fryer continues to "squeeze truth from data," uncovering society's ills in the process.

Quote Elementary school children in some of America's worse neighborhoods. Despite the circumstances, they are full of hope and untapped potential.