TEDx comes to Clemson University

Published: February 28, 2012

CLEMSON — TEDxClemsonU, an event for sharing innovative ideas, will be held at Clemson University’s Strom Thurmond Institute at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 4. Eleven Clemson students and faculty members will speak about topics ranging from mental health to science and engineering to the deaf community.

“TEDTalks are so inspirational and a lot of people connect with them, so I wanted to bring that experience to Clemson,” said Rebecca Morgan, a graduate assistant in the Gantt Center’s diversity education office. “TEDx provides a great way of accessing lots of different people’s knowledge and ideas. There are so many different subjects presented in different ways, there’s something for everyone.”

Sponsored by the university’s Gantt Center for Student Life, TEDxClemsonU is a local, independently organized event licensed by TED, a non-profit organization devoted to “ideas worth spreading.” The theme of TEDxClemsonU is “The Voice You Are,” and Morgan said speakers were selected based on that theme.

“All the talks will focus on what that person’s unique voice is and how it impacts the world around them,” she said.

Speakers will be: Julie Weigand, a sophomore from Myrtle Beach majoring in secondary education – history; Christina Choi, a graduate student from Vernon Hills, Ill., majoring in counselor education/student affairs; Sallie Ware, a senior bioengineering major from Old Hickory, Tenn.; Cynthia Eyram Ofori-Dwumfuo, a graduate student from Ghana majoring in professional communication; Stephen Fitzmaurice, visiting assistant professor of languages; Travers Scott, assistant professor of communication studies; Jevonta Henderson, a junior from Columbia majoring in philosophy; Arthur Nathan Brodsky, a Ph.D. student from Tampa, Fla., majoring in bioengineering; Jesse Taylor, a senior English major from Anderson; Beth Crews Burgess, a graduate student from Greenville majoring in counselor education; and Ammar Ahmed, a Ph.D. student from Pakistan majoring in systems engineering.

Registration is full, but anyone can view the online livestream of the event for free at http://www.tedxclemsonu.com. For more information, visit TEDxClemsonU on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tedxclemsonu.

**MEDIA NOTE: Media wishing to attend TEDxClemsonU must first contact Angela Nixon in Media Relations at 864-656-0382 or anixon@clemson.edu. A limited number of reporters may attend the event, but photography and video will not be permitted.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized 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 self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. At TED, the world's leading thinkers and doers are asked to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Talks are then made available, free, at  TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Two major TED events are held each year: The TED Conference takes place every spring in Long Beach, California (along with a parallel conference, TEDActive, in Palm Springs), and TEDGlobal is held each summer in Edinburgh, Scotland.

TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TEDTalks are posted daily; the new TED Conversations, enabling broad conversations among TED fans; and the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide.

TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to host local, self-organized events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED.

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