TEDx comes to UVU

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Ryan Dangerfield | staff writer | @ryandanger23

 

Utah Valley University Student Association (UVUSA) announced the inaugural TEDx UVU conference will be held April 1 in the Ragan Theater.

Recently TedX events have been spreading across the country. There are only two primary TED events (exclusively held by TED) each year in California, the original location of TED conferences, but all TED regulations must be followed in order for a TedX event to be held.

“TedX is a chance to add legitimacy to the university,” said Tyler Brklacich, student body president. “Once again, we are providing extra above-and-beyond resources and access to the community, to businesses, and to innovators.”

The speakers will include Utah Valley University President Matthew S. Holland, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, and ‘The People Code’ Author Taylor Hartman.

“I think having a TedX event at UVU is interesting and wonderful, because it allows for an open and real exchange of ideas,” said Suzy Cox, professor of elementary education. “UVU is also set in an environment that in some ways is conflicted with a cultural background, and a university attempting to be innovative.”

Cox will be speaking at the TedX event about the developing adolescent brain, and how it allows adolescents to be idealistic for longer due to the brain needing time to adapt to technology and other recent advances.

“TedX is a cool opportunity to showcase what is going on at UVU and to focus on the ideas and projects that are taking place with our faculty, our students and our community,” said Mallory Wallin, vice president of Academic Senate. “It is also an opportunity for students to attend a big conference and see what goes into it.”

Tickets are currently on sale for $15 per session for students, and $25 per session for general admission. The other option is to purchase an all-session pass for $75. Included with the ticket price is a networking session with the speakers. It will also be streamed at the new classroom building for students wanting no-cost access to the event.

“As you look at other TedX events across the nation $15 is actually a very reasonable cost, especially when you look at the lineup of speakers who are coming for the event,” said Wallin.

Keynote Session – Advance 8:30-9:30 AM

Joe Landolina, Inventor of VETI-GEL

James Green, “Advancing Airline Single-Pilot Concept”

Pam Lara, “Discovering Stars”

Shape Session 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Robert Bennett, “Shaping Modern Society through Parkour”

Paul Parkins, “Reimaging Empathy: The Transformative Nature of Empathy”

Carine Clark, Chief Executive Officer of MaritzCX

President Matthew S. Holland, President of Utah Valley University

Define 1:00-3:00 PM

Craig Thulin, “Imagine that: No One Knows What is, and isn’t, a Drug”

Kyle Reyes, Special Assistant to the President

Jeanette Bennett, “What Happy People Talk About”

Taylor Hartman, “Motive Matters”

Native Hoop Dance, Performance

Envision 3:30-5:30 PM

Adam Meredith, “The Perfect Balance: Constraints on Infinity”

Karen Ashton, Found of Timpanogos Story Telling Festival

Suzy Cox, “Teens, Technology, and Transformation”

Michael Savoie, “Modularity and the Internet of Things”

David Thulin, “Fear, Enemy of Imagination and Innovation”

Kyle Nelson & Jacob Rees, “We See You”