Theme: Create

TEDxUofSC is a conference hosted by the University of South Carolina for the greater Columbia and South Carolina communities. The conference will highlight a series of short, powerful talks on innovative ideas that impact our lives. The 2018 event theme is “Create,” and TEDxUofSC Create will inspire imagination in a complex and changing world. Visit sc.edu/TEDxUofSC for more information.

University of South Carolina
915 Bull Street
Columbia, South Carolina, 29208
United States

David Matolak

Electrical Engineer

David Matolak is an electrical engineer interested in wireless network communications and is currently working to build better radios.

David Shields

Author and researcher

David Shields is an author and english professor known, among other things, for his research and writing on restoring southern heirloom foods such as Carolina Gold Rice, benne and the Carolina African runner peanut.

Derek Black

Education Advocate and Law Professor

Derek Black is a law professor who focuses on education law and policy. He is an expert on the intersection of constitutional law and public education, particularly as it pertains to educational equality and fairness for disadvantaged students.

Juan M. Caicedo

Structural Engineer

Juan Caicedo is a civil engineer and is especially interested in structural engineering. He conducts numerical and experimental research in the areas of structural dynamics, model updating, structural health monitoring, earthquake engineering and structural control.

Kassy Alia

Community Trust Builder

Kassy Alia is dedicated to fostering connections and authentic trust between the people who are called to serve our community, both citizens and police officers.

Kimani Davis

Opportunity Advocate and Business Owner

Kimani Davis is the owner of Mercy Contracting, LLC and founder of YNotU 2, a nonprofit organization that provides vocational rehabilitation, job and life skill development for disadvantaged job seekers. Davis spent two years in federal prison and now speaks about the challenges of re-entry and the necessity of acknowledging ex-offenders as full members of the community.

Lyric Swinton

Creative Writer and Student

Lyric Swinton is a student who uses creative writing as a way to express ideas and experiences. She is a first-generation college student and dedicates her extracurricular time to student government and mentoring youth.

Parry Hashemi

Biochemist

Parastoo (Parry) Hashemi is an analytical chemist interested in serotonin and histamine dysfunction, which is thought to underlie a variety of diseases including mood and emotional disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.

Ronda Hughes

Center for Nursing Leadership Director

Ronda Hughes is an expert in health policy and health services research. Her interest areas include: patient safety and quality improvement, big data research, health care administration, health systems and policy and program evaluation, among others.

Sarah Simmons

Chef and Food Access Advocate

Sarah Simmons is a renowned chef who works in her local community to eradicate poverty and hunger. Her mission is to Feed the City, through her restaurants and beyond, in order to strengthen the community and contribute to the local economy.

Seth Stoughton

Law Professor and Former Law Enforcement Officer

Seth Stoughton is a law professor whose scholarship focuses on the regulation of police and policing issues. Prior to becoming a law professor, Seth Stoughton served as an officer with the Tallahassee Police Department for five years.

Shigeharu Kobayashi

Indie Comic Publisher

Shigeharu Kobayashi, an Indie comic publisher, arts advocate and self-proclaimed fourth-best waiter in Columbia, S.C., encourages others to recognize and challenge their own definitions and creative parameters.