Theme: Discover "y"

TEDxGeorgiaTech will be hosting live event with prominent presenters to speak about their personal stories and experiences to spark deep discussion and thought. We hope our 2015 TEDx event will continue the momentum of TED by focusing on our theme of “discover ‘y’”. We will invite speakers across our community who we believe are passionate, open-minded, creative, and have truly “come alive”. Our goal is to bring together the individuals of our community and inspire them to break away from standardized thoughts and behaviors to think and act creatively.

Academy of Medicine
875 W Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, Georgia, 30309
United States

Aaron Blacker

Aerospace Engineering Student at Georgia Tech

Aaron Blacker is a second year Aerospace Engineering Georgia Tech student from Chappaqua, New York. In his year at Georgia Tech, he has built two rockets and began research at the Benn T. Zinn Combustion lab. Aaron currently serves as president of the GT Ramblin’ Rocket Club and has co-founded the first ever student program to send a rocket to space using a liquid propulsion system. He hopes to help Georgia Tech become the first university to reach sub-orbit. Aaron worked for Bell Helicopter in January and will be working as an aerothermal combustion fluids intern at Pratt and Whitney this summer.

Aaron Coury

Co-Founder of weloveatl

Aaron Coury is one of the co-founders of weloveatl and a freelance photographer specializing in portrait and fine art photography. He has been pursuing his passion for photography for the last 4 years and travels as often as his schedule allows.

B.C. Serna

Filmmaker and Social Activist

BC Serna is a filmmaker, social activist and a high school animator. After traveling throughout Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe he saw a huge need for young people in the United Stated to take action and awaken to their passions and purposes. He has since been working with a variety of youth leadership programs that take youths to volunteer locally and globally.

Mark Mandica

Manager of the Amphibian Conservation Program at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Mark Mandica manages the Amphibian Conservation Program at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. He attended University of Massachusetts where his thesis focused on the ephemeral wetland ecology of amphibians. Mark’s educational focus was on the amphibian community ecology in the Everglades as well as photoreception in South Florida bufonids.

Pastiche Lumumba

Founder of the Low Museum in Atlanta

Pastiche Lumumba is an artist and curator living and working in Atlanta. His multidisciplinary work examines the element of context and its effect on subjective experience. He has exhibited nationally and internationally. In 2013, Pastiche founded The LOW Museum and has since served as executive director.

Steen Jones

Founder of COLORS

Steen Jones founded COLORS, a social business that provides marginalized women in Atlanta an opportunity to provide for themselves by teaching them creative skills and providing them an employment opportunity using those skills. COLORS partners with the non-profits Beloved Atlanta and 7 Bridges, working with and hiring women from their program and donating 10% of profits back into other aspects of the women's rehabilitation.

V.K. Puppala

Anesthesiologist

Dr. Puppala is a double board-certified anesthesiology pain specialist. Dr. Puppala is active with the Medical Association of Georgia and Georgia Society of Interventional Pain Practitioners in order to raise public awareness of issues facing those afflicted with chronic to legislators and policy-makers. By dedicating his free time to these causes, he hopes to improve the lives of his patients outside of the doctor’s office.