Theme: Earth2Hot2Handle: A Climate Action event

Attention Middle & High School students and their supporters! Experience TEDxYouth@SanAntonio in person, live at UTSA's Buena Vista Theatre downtown, or connect via livestream. The event is free to attend.

Earth2Hot2Handle is organized BY youth, FOR youth. Community members are also welcome, but be ready to run on Youth time and Youth energy!

Interact with peers, community organizations, and potential employers to explore options for Climate Action solutions. Come ready to learn and share your energy and ideas.

See and interact with 6 live speakers as they deliver brand-new TEDx talks on Climate Action (you'll see a mix of adult and Youth speakers).
Meet representatives from organizations actively working to combat the effects of climate change on our planet
Explore options for making a difference in our interactive Idea Lab
Enjoy a provided lunch while you discuss climate action and other issues with your peers and the community

Buena Vista Theater, UTSA
501 W Cesar Chavez Blvd
San Antonio, Texas, 78207
United States

Andre Felton

Andre conducts research to understand current and future biodiversity trends. He has collaborated with Smithsonian researchers focused on various anthropocentric topics in terrestrial and freshwater ecology. He has studied biodiversity and climate impact on freshwater invertebrates, the removal of invasive floral communities of the northeastern United States, small mammals of Appalachia, mesopredators and fish communities of Ohio, and a myriad of other studies revolving around direct and/or indirect effects of anthropogenic activity on biodiversity with organizations including the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Towson University, University of Connecticut (UCONN), and the Ohio State University. Andre is pursuing his PhD at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He works with a leading scientist in ephemeral freshwater systems to understand environmental and biological threats of microplastic pollution. In collaboration with a fellow UTSA doctoral student, Andre has developed and reported the first evidence of microplastics in hailstone formation and deposition. Andre was awarded the NISOD Teaching award and the NVC Excellence in Teaching award as an adjunct instructor for Alamo Colleges in San Antonio. Andre works to share his passions with minority-dominant communities to diversify the natural sciences.

Anish Beeram

Anish is a senior at TMI Episcopal in San Antonio, Texas. Anish served on the 2021-22 San Antonio Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives, where he advocated for cost-effective renewable energy alternatives and sustainable infrastructure projects. Anish has competed in Congressional and World Schools Debate Formats, serving as the captain of his school team. In World Schools, Anish serves on the 2022-23 USA National Debate Team, as one of the 12 students nationwide chosen to represent the 150,000 American debaters in competitive international debate. In Congressional Debate, Anish won the 2022 Tournament of Champions, the most prestigious circuit debate tournament in the United States, and finished as a top 10 finalist at the NSDA Congressional Senate, UT Longhorn Classic, Emory Barkley Forum, Harvard Round Robin, and TFA State Tournament. An Eagle Scout with Bronze and Gold Palms, Anish founded the Eagle Action Project, a certified Texas 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building scouting troops in underserved areas, teaching life skills and environmental stewardship to youth in need.

Cris Eugster

Cris is a seasoned executive who is passionate about making a difference in this world through the successful transition to a clean energy society. Cris’ multi-faceted career path has always been driven by purpose and impact rather than climbing a corporate ladder. He has a PhD from MIT in Electrical Engineering where he built up a successful research program in the design and fabrication of quantum mechanical devices. Cris went on to be a partner at the global consulting firm McKinsey and Company and then was the first Chief Sustainability Officer for Houston under Mayor Bill White. Cris spent 12 years at San Antonio’s CPS Energy in a number of different roles, including Chief Operating Officer. Cris was instrumental in setting the strategy and putting in place plans to begin decarbonizing the energy system of greater San Antonio. Cris partnered with leading tech venture group Pioneer Square Labs to co-found Ever.green and create the first marketplace for companies of all sizes to invest directly into clean energy projects and thereby accelerate our society's energy transition.

Deepti Kannapan

Deepti Kannapan is an aerospace engineer, artist, and writer. She grew up in New York, California, and Bangalore, India, and received Bachelors' and Master's degrees in engineering design from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. While there, she co-founded the institute’s first student spacecraft project, IITMSAT. She received a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She currently works as an aerospace engineer and blogs on creativity and climate change. She is an avid volunteer for environmental causes and the author of an upcoming YA fantasy novel. Growing up, Deepti filled her notebooks with facts about wildlife and set herself math problems she couldn’t solve. Coffee and fruit are two things that always put her in a good mood. She loves painting outdoors, taking trains, and falling down research or pop culture rabbit holes. Lately, she reads webcomics, newspaper advice columns, and old-timey mystery novels.

Marisa Zalabak

Marisa Zalabak is an educational psychologist, AI ethicist, researcher, author, and keynote speaker specializing in well-being, social equity, climate repair, and systems transformation. Dedicated to creating compassionate, sustainable communities, economies and ecosystems for the emerging future, Marisa is the Founder of Open Channel Culture & Human Arts Lab fostering Adaptive Leadership for the emerging future. Marisa is currently serving with IEEE, the world’s largest professional organization advancing technology for humanity, as Co-Chair of the Planet Positive 2030 Global Methodologies committee in partnership with Stanford HAI and Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. As Co-Chair of the IEEE AI Ethics Education committee, she has authored recommendations for collaboration in AI Ethics and is contributing author of IEEE’s Recommended Standards for the Ethical Design of Artificial Intelligence. Marisa has worked across global sectors and fields and is a certified member of Presencing Institute’s ULab (MIT). She serves on several leadership teams for the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She is a Senior Fellow with The Digital Economist’s Think & Do tank, and an advisor with Million Peacemakers, supporting youth-led global peacemaking.

Sophia Esteban

Sofia has an extreme passion for using her voice to advocate for equality in all spaces, especially education. Sofia is a junior at Seven Lakes High School. She is the president of the Texas Future Business Leaders of America Area 5, the largest geographical area of the Texas FBLA sector. She’s also the founder of the Seven Lakes Junior High and Beckendorff Junior High speech and debate programs, team development chair on the Seven Lakes High School speech and debate team, the 2024 class secretary. She is a 3x FBLA state champion, placed 3rd at FBLA nationals, has finaled and semi-finaled at large debate tournaments like UT Austin, TFA State, the Glenbrooks, the Tournament of Champions, and NSDA nationals. Sofia is the founder of SEEN, a non-profit organization that builds awareness of issues impacting Title 1 schools, and helps them community make a difference.