Theme: Eureka

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).

Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
3680 Walnut St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
United States

Andrew Newberg

Andrew is the Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. His research has been published in prestigious scientific journals including JAMA, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, and Frontiers in Psychology, and featured in Newsweek, Time, and the New York Times. He has appeared on Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, as well as movies including Bill Maher’s “Religulous”; and “Awake: The Life of Yogananda.”

Caeli Smith

Caeli holds a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Catherine Cho and Ronald Copes. She is currently completing a master’s degree in viola performance at Juilliard with Misha Amory and Hsin-Yun Huang. As a teen, she was often featured on National Public Radio’s From The Top, a national radio and TV program dedicated to the discovery of young musicians. Now as an accomplished musician, she has performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and BBC Proms. She also seeks unusual performance venues—such as Apple Stores, prisons, hospices and hospitals, the Bethesda fountain in Central Park, and Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. Furthermore, she has worked to raise funds, and as a volunteer coach, for music education programs benefiting Philadelphia children from underserved populations.

David Issadore

David is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and Electrical & Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. As one of the nation’s leading researchers in micro and nanotechnology, David holds numerous patents in his field in addition to co-authoring many papers and books on biochip technology. Furthermore, he has received numerous awards both for his research and for his teaching, including the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award and The S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award from the University of Pennsylvania.

George Martorano

Released in October 2015 under the Department of Justice’s Compassionate Release program, George is the longest incarcerated non-violent offender. While in prison, he taught inmates yoga, prevented the hijacking of an aircraft by inmates, started a creative writing course, authored 31 books, pioneered a prison course called Release Preparation: Starting a Business for Under $1,000, among others. He has been featured in Philly Mag and Salem News and is now sought out to be featured by the United Nations. He resides in Philadelphia and continues to write and inspire others.

Jane Golden

With a background in political sciences from Stanford University, Jane has collaborated with community organizations and city agencies to create over 3,800 works of public art, earning Philadelphia worldwide recognition for its iconic outdoor gallery. She has co-authored two books about the city’s murals and edited a third, and she is the recipient of several honorary PhDs. In addition, her work has received many accolades, including the Philadelphia Award and the Governor’s Award for Innovation in the Arts, among others.

Jeff Beal

Trained as a jazz trumpeter and recording artist at the Eastman School of Music, Jeff composes, orchestrates, conducts, records and mixes his own scores, giving his music a very personal, distinctive touch. A four-time Emmy Award winner, he is sought after for his aesthetically interesting music which simultaneously supports the images on screen. He has composed the score and themes for the Netflix drama House of Cards, documentaries Blackfish and The Queen of Versailles, HBO series Carnivale and Rome, and television series Monk and The Newsroom, among others.

Joel Myers

Joel is a meteorologist by trade and an accomplished entrepreneur, recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the greatest entrepreneurs in American history. Across the globe, more than 1.5 billion people rely on AccuWeather forecasts to help them plan their activities, and highly accurate weather warnings to help protect their lives and businesses; this allows everyone to get more value from their day.

Johnathan Chen

Johnathan first became interested in art and engineering when he broke his mother’s film camera as a preschooler. Since then, he has won Scholastic Art Gold Keys, secured technology grants, and worked with Academy Award winners like Mark Sanger, editor of Gravity. Having just completed his freshman year at Penn, he spends his time building the Penn Electric Racing Electric Vehicle and taking time-lapses around campus. Some of his other recent projects include a smartphone-controlled, color-changing light bulb as well as a GoPro time-lapse slider, allowing anyone to see a sped-up view of reality.

Lolita Jackson

With a background in chemical engineering and a career in finance, Lolita has had a career as diverse as her interests. Currently, she is working with the Mayor’s Office on climate change analysis and the implementation of OneNYC, a plan for the city’s growth, sustainability, resiliency, and equity. Her dedicated contributions to the city’s development have received extensive media attention, including features in New York Magazine and the distinguished New Birth Portraits series. She has also received the recognition of the University of Pennsylvania through its Alumni Award of Merit.

Mackenzie Johnson

Known for her unique style, charisma, versatility and honest lyricism, Mackenzie has solidified herself in the in the world of up-and-coming young artists. This year, she hopes to begin working on her debut record. Because of her unique style, she has been featured in Rock On Philly and Backseat Mafia.

Majid Mubeen

Since the age of 13, Majid has been involved in Forensics - Speech and Debate - where he has competed consistently at the State level, winning the Michigan State Championship for Storytelling performance in 2012. After coming to the University of Pennsylvania, he has continued performing, while learning the comedy trade from performers across the East Coast. Last year, with the Wharton Passion Projects, he put together a one-man show. He is currently working on a longer one-man show series to be showcased online at the end of this year. Majid is organizing a tour based on this TEDx Talk for the upcoming year. To contact Majid and find out more, please visit imajid.net.

Mark Forsyth

Mark attended Winchester College and Lincoln College, Oxford University, studying English Language & Literature. Through his work on language and words, he gave a TEDx Talk in 2012 about political rhetoric and how it has evolved. Mark is also a Sunday Times Number One Bestseller and has authored four books: The Etymologicon, The Horologicon, The Elements of Eloquence, and The Unknown Unknown. In his free time, he taps into the hidden connections of the English language on his blog, “Inky Fool.”

Michael Horowitz

Michael is Associate Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania. He has also worked for the US Department of Defense. His first book, The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics, won the Furniss Award from the Mershon Center for International Security Studies and the Best Book Award from the International Security Studies Section of the International Studies Association. His new book, Why Leaders Fight, has received critical acclaim and analyzes how experiences from leaders’ pasts impact their propensity to incite violence.

Michelle Johnson

Michelle is an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania and directs the GRASP Lab’s Rehabilitation Robotic Research and Design Laboratory Lab at the Perelman School of Medicine. As a pioneer of neurorehabilitation, her work has been featured at the prestigious International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics and Engineering Medicine Biology Conference. To design affordable but novel therapeutic robots, her lab has also worked in Botswana, Mexico, Italy, and India to improve quality of life all over the world.