An 'electrifying experience': Second TEDxUArizona will present talks related to the 'Spirit of Wonder'
Organizers expect up to 1,500 people to attend the Nov. 1 event at Centennial Hall.
Misha Harrison, executive director of experience, Marketing and Brand Management
Stephanie Russo Carroll, associate professor in Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, will speak about Indigenous people's conceptions of data.
Duane Cyrus, director of the School of Dance, will speak about bridging cultures through dance.
Faculty, staff and student speakers will bring their expertise in areas including climate, tribal data sovereignty and communicating through dance to the next TEDxUArizona event, happening Nov. 1 in Centennial Hall.
The event's theme, "Spirit of Wonder," speaks to the passion the presenters have about the topics they have devoted their lives to studying, said Misha Harrison, executive director of experience in Marketing and Brand Management.
"It taps into people's inspiration," Harrison, who organizes the event, said. "I love how broad the theme is, and how it allows us to take a look at the 'why' of what we do, not just the visible outcome."
This year's event offers three sessions, with three to five speakers and a performance in each. Two of the sessions will also feature on-stage interviews with speakers. Presenters will also be available for a meet-and-greet after each session in the Women's Plaza of Honor outside of Centennial Hall.
"I'm honored to be invited to speak at TEDxUArizona to share how Indigenous people's conceptions of data remind us that data are our relations and carry the stories of us as humans," said Stephanie Russo Carroll, associate professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "This perspective evokes reciprocal responsibilities between the data and the people, lands and knowledges it represents."
Tickets are $5 each and cover attendance at any or all of the sessions.
A schedule is below.
Session 1 (9:30-11 a.m.):
- Deepta Bhattacharya, Professor, Department of Immunobiology
- Stephanie Russo Carroll, Associate Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
- Michael Dake, Senior Vice President, Health Sciences
- An interview with Bhattacharya and Dake will be conducted by Rachel Reinhardt, associate vice oresident for communications, Health Sciences.
Session 2 (1:30-3 p.m.):
- Daniella DellaGiustina, Assistant Professor, Planetary Sciences, and Principal Investigator, OSIRIS-APEX
- Alain-Philippe Durand, Dorrance Dean, College of Humanities
- Dante Lauretta, Regents Professor, Planetary Sciences, and Principal Investigator, OSIRIS-REx
- An interview with DellaGiustina and Lauretta will be conducted by Mikayla Mace Kelley, science writer in University Communications.
Session 3 (4:30-6 p.m.):
- Alexandra Cerna, Filmmaker and University of Arizona Alumna (2021, Theatre, Film and Television)
- Duane Cyrus, Director, School of Dance
- Halley Hughes, Master's Student, Department of Agricultural Education, Technology and Innovation
- Brian Moon, Associate Professor of Practice, School of Music
- Heather Roper, Senior Media Specialist, Arizona Space Institute, Graphic Designer, OSIRIS-REx and University of Arizona Alumna (2015, Design and Visual Communications)
The performances are still being finalized, but will include dance, spoken word and film elements, Harrison said.
Unlike January's inaugural TEDxUArizona, when only 100 people were able to attend, Harrison is expecting 1,000-1,500 people to fill Centennial Hall for the Nov. 1 edition.
"The experience is not only uplifting for those who are in the auditorium, but for the speakers and the University at large," Harrison said. "It helps the world to see that that the University of Arizona has ideas worth spreading. There is nothing quite like being in the audience at a TED event. It's an electrifying experience."
Speakers will again work with Diana Leonard, director of public speaking and senior lecturer in the Department of Communication, to develop talks that meet the required format, which calls for 18-minute presentations with no notes, designed to be understood by the general population.
"I am excited to deliver a TEDx talk focusing on dance and how movers use their bodies to communicate ideas," said Cyrus, whose presentation will focus on bridging cultures through dance. "As director of the School of Dance, I get to see incredibly talented people deeply researching ideas through embodied practice and expression. I want to share that with the audience."
The talks will be recorded and posted on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel after the event. Last year's talks are available on the University's TEDxUArizona website. Lo Que Pasa also featured the talks as well as tips from Leonard on public speaking in two articles:
- "Check out videos of the TEDxUArizona talks and learn how to deal with public speaking nerves"
- "See more TEDxUArizona talks and learn how to deal with technical hurdles in your own presentations"
TED, a global nonprofit, began in 1984 as a conference featuring speakers discussing technology, entertainment and design. Today, TED conferences cover a broad range of topics in more than 100 languages. The TEDx program allows local organizations to bring people together to share a TED-like experience.
Those interested in learning about tickets, speakers and future events can sign up to receive email updates. Organizers are also accepting applications for speakers for future TEDxUArizona events, including the next one, which is planned for April.