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).

Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
750 E Shaw Ln
East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
United States

Abii-tah Bih

Abii-tah Bih is a Cameroonian student at James Madison College. She is driven to dedicate her diverse experiences to the service of members of her community.

Dong Zhao

Dr. Zhao is an assistant professor of construction management and civil engineering at Michigan State University. His research focuses on the human-technology interactions in the building, construction, and engineering.

Jo Codde

Jo Codde has over 30 years of experience working in higher education and has recently retired from MSU College of Education as professor emeritus. Since retiring I have transitioned genders from male to female and I am now a 69-year-old transgender woman. My experiences in education and now as a transgender woman have uniquely positioned me to work with the College of Human Medicine at MSU where. I am developing a new eLearning Continuing Medical Education program designed to educate physicians on transgender healthcare.

Johnathan Thurston

Jonathan W. Thurston is currently a PhD student in English at MSU. He is also the editor-in-chief of Thurston Howl Publications and has been nominated for both the Lambda Literary Award and the ALAA Over the Rainbow Award.

Mike Pajkos

Mike is a graduate researcher currently pursuing my PhD in Astrophysics and High Performance Computing.

MSU Orchesis

MSU Orchesis is a dance group from Michigan State University

Nancy Dejoy

Nancy DeJoy teaches writing in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures at Michigan State University. She is an installation poet who has had work exhibited in the Lansing and East Lansing communities. Her most recent work, Illuminating Survivor Voices, brings light to the ways that survivor voices illuminate our path to a better future.

Osama Alian

Osama Alian is an MSU Microbiology and Molecular Genetics PhD student. Ultimately, his passionate curiosity for space and adventure led him to the field of astrobiology. His PhD research centers around a unique site at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean called the Lost City, which harbors one of the most interesting extremophile microbial communities around.

Payam Aminpour

Payam is a PhD student in the Department of Community Sustainability at MSU. Payam's graduate research revolves around how to harness the collective intelligence of groups to solve complex problems around sustainability like Climate Change and over exploration of natural capital.

Spartan Dischords

Spartan Dischords is a male A Cappella group from Michigan State University

Timosha Krivtsov

Timosha Krivtsov is a young, passionate creative, on his way to disrupting the fashion industry for the better. He believes that the industry’s most common practices are outdated, and the infrastructure as a whole, needs to be redesigned to cause less environmental and social harm to the planet. Timosha has been able to recognize recurring patterns/overlaps commonly used in the industry, and ‘connects-the-dots’ to create innovative solutions to address these issues.

Timosha Timosha Krivtsov

Timosha Krivtsov is a young, passionate creative, on his way to disrupting the fashion industry for the better. He believes that the industry’s most common practices are outdated, and the infrastructure as a whole, needs to be redesigned to cause less environmental and social harm to the planet. Timosha has been able to recognize recurring patterns/overlaps commonly used in the industry, and ‘connects-the-dots’ to create innovative solutions to address these issues.