MIT Nets Five of Time's Influential People

Time magazine's annual list of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" is a heady group—and five MIT folks are sharing this stage with the likes of President Barack Obama, Comedy Channel commentor Stephen Colbert, and investment guru Warren Buffet. Here's the list:

Mario Draghi PhD '77 – The head of the European Central Bank has a formidable task in troubled economics times—stabilizing prices and protecting European savers. Time praises affable manner, razor-sharp mind, and negotiation skills.

Sal Khan ’98, MEng ’98 – This educational pioneer first made videos to help his cousin understand algebra. Fast forward a few years and, voila, Khan Academy offers more than 3,000 short videos on math, science, and more that have been viewed more than 100 million times for free on YouTube. Watch Khan June 8 when he delivers MIT's Commencement address (free webcast)

Andrew Lo – Time compares Lo to a mind meld between Adam Smith and Charles Darwin. The Sloan professor thinks markets are less like rule-based physics and more like messy biological systems. He has developed mathematical ways to track the organic fluctuations and understand how markets work and manage risk.

Benjamin Netanyahu ’75, SM ’76 – The prime minister of Israel is praised as a strong, determined leader who has excelled as a soldier, diplomat, and economic reformer. Times says he also deserves credit for drawing attention to the threat Iran poses to Israel, to America, and to the world.

Donald Sadoway – The MIT professor of materials chemistry's recent TED talk on developing Liquid Metal Batteries is wildly popular. In addition to a love of teaching with colored chalk, Sadoway describes work on a grid-scale battery, which uses molten salt and liquid metal, that will enable sustainable energy sources.

Read the full list.