About the Author

U.S. News and World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes a multi-faceted web site (with 28 million visitors per month) and annual guidebooks on Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools, and Best Hospitals. Focusing on Health, Money, Education, Travel, Cars, and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News and World Report's signature franchises includes its News You Can Use(R) brand of journalism and its Best series of consumer guides that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, diets, health plans, and more. Margaret Mannix has been Executive Editor of U.S. News & World Report since 2007. She currently oversees the media group's venerable guidebooks - Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools and Best Hospitals - and leadership of program planning for the U.S. News "Hospital of Tomorrow" and "STEM Solutions" conferences. Since joining U.S. News in 1990 as a reporter, Mannix has written and edited extensively on numerous topics, from education and health to politics and personal finance. After reporting for the investigative and business teams, she became the business section's deputy editor in 2002 and then assistant managing editor. In 2005, she became assistant managing editor of the health and medicine section. A Maryland native, Mannix has a bachelor's in communications from American University and her M.S. in journalism from Columbia University. Anne McGrath is the managing editor of U.S. News & World Report's publications. She has created and implemented the editorial vision for numerous editions of U.S. News' annual "Best" guidebooks -- such as Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools, and Best Hospitals -- as well as editing such U.S. News publications as A Parent's Guide to STEM and U.S. News Ultimate Guide to Law Schools. A former high school English teacher, Anne's experience as a magazine journalist includes extensive coverage of education, health, personal finance, and investing. will.i.am, born William Adams, is a multi-faceted entertainer and creative innovator, a seven-time Grammy Award winner, and founder of I AM (TM). Known for his work with The Black Eyed Peas, who have sold 31 million albums and 58 million singles worldwide, he also works with some of the industry's biggest names including Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, David Guetta, and film composer Hans Zimmer. will.i.am is the first recording artist to send a song to Mars in conjunction with NASA's Curiosity Mars Space Lab. Space and music industry firsts were achieved on August 28, 2012 when "Reach For The Stars (Mars Edition)" was played back from Mars during a youth education event hosted by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In addition to his music career, will.i.am is very active in front of, and behind the camera. His educational TV special "i.am.mars: Reach For The Stars", a behind-the-scene look at the artistic and scientific elements involved in sending a song to Mars, aired on Discovery's SCIENCE Channel in 2012. In 2011, will.i.am executive produced and starred in his first prime time TV special "i.am FIRST: Science is Rock and Roll" to get young people excited about math and science education, as well as technology and science-related careers. As a musician, producer, director and advocate for education, he is an enthusiastic user of technologies in both his professional and personal lives. In recognition of his ability to harness technology to enhance entertainment, creativity and communication, Intel Corporation appointed will as Director of Creative Innovation in 2011. With a commitment to inspire kids to stay in school and go to college to become the leaders of tomorrow, will.i.am advocates regarding the importance and power of a good education through his i.am angel foundation. The i.am.angel Foundation created i.am.STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), an elementary and middle school initiative to provide underserved students with learning and interaction opportunities beyond the classroom in collaboration with Discovery Education. In addition, the i.am angel foundation is also active in the U.K. through a STEM education and computer skills joint initiative with The Prince's Trust. will.i.am was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in March, 2013, in recognition for his role as a STEM education advocate. He is the recipient of multiple Grammy Awards, a Latin Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, a CLIO Award, two NAACP Image Awards, a VH1 Do Something Award, the BMI President's Award and a 2008 Webby Award.