Short lectures include talks on nanotechnology, humor and water issues
DECEMBER 17, 2015 BY MICHAEL NEWSOM
The University of Mississippi hosted its first “TEDx” talk in October, which featured 10 brief lectures from Ole Miss faculty members to showcase “ideas worth spreading.”
Though the event was open to only 100 attendees, those talks are available on YouTube for those who missed it.
TEDxUM 2015 uses the TED Talks conference format, which brings together lecturers and other participants in a globally popular set of conferences run by the Sapling Foundation under the slogan “Ideas worth spreading.”
Under the rules set by TED, seating was limited for the event, even though interest was very high.
Lizzy Wicks, a senior international studies and French major from Ocean Springs, organized the event along with Marvin King, UM associate professor of political science and African-American studies. They’re planning a much larger event for 2016.
“Each of the talks focused on really different topics, so there is something for everybody,” King said. “I was most happy when audience members told us how much they learned because of the talks.
“We really want people to watch these videos and share them with their friends and family. It’s really amazing how much you can learn watching these short, 12-minute videos.”
The following talks, all 12-18 minutes long, are available to watch on TEDxUM 2015 YouTube:
Randy Wadkins, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, talking about nanotechnology
Matthew Wilson, assistant professor of theatre arts, lecturing on humor
Mitchell Robinson, conservation education manager of Strawberry Plains Audubon Center, discussing diversity and environmental activism
Cathy Janasie, research counsel for the National Sea Grant Law Center, lecturing on water scarcity
Michele Alexandre, professor of law and Leonard B. Melvin Lecturer in Law, giving her talk titled “The B Word”
Gregory Heyworth, associate professor of English, lecturing on digital humanities
David Rock, dean of the School of Education, discussing classroom technology
Laura Johnson, associate professor of psychology, lecturing on cross-cultural engagement
Marc Slattery, professor of pharmacognosy, talking about drug research from the ocean
Chris McCurdy, professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacology, lecturing on natural products used to diagnose neural damage