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).

UCLA Northwest Campus Auditorium
350 De Neve Drive
Los Angeles, California, 90024
United States

Meera Varma

Meera Varma is a mental health activist from Los Angeles, CA. Her struggles with mental health cast a dark shadow over many of her experiences as a teenager and were compounded by the shame she faced when seeking treatment as an Asian-Indian woman. The cultural and societal stigma she endured is what fueled her passion for activism at the age of 14. Meera’s activism focuses on mental health education, suicide awareness and prevention, and mental health policy. Her work has been recognized by Oprah, President Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. As of 2023, Meera is a graduate student at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and The Fielding School of Public Health. Through her activism, Meera aims to be a voice of hope to those who are struggling in silence. Learn more about her at meera-varma.com.

Michael Leon

Dr. Michael Leon received his PhD from the University of Chicago and joined the professoriate at the age of 24. He is currently Professor emeritus (recalled) in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of California Irvine. He also is a member of the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, as well as the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders at UCI. Dr. Leon has received multiple awards for teaching, including the Professor of the Year Award as the best teacher on the UCI campus. He also was associate dean for undergraduate education for 22 years. He has received the Research Scientist Development Award from the National Institute for Mental Health for his work on the neurobiology of early learning, the D.G. Marquis Award from the American Psychological Association for developing an effective treatment for children with autism, and the Healthcare Technology Acceleration Award from the California HealthCare Foundation for his work on body weight normalization. In a recent analysis from the Stanford University, he was ranked among the top 2% of scientists in the world. Dr. Leon is a partner in Science Lab 3 and the Mando Group

Russell Korobkin

Russell Korobkin is Interim Dean and Richard C. Maxwell Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law. He teaches and writes about negotiation, dispute resolution, contracts, and the intersection of law and human behavior. He is the author of The Five Tool Negotiator: the Complete Guide to Bargaining Success (Liveright, 2021), as well leading textbooks on negotiation and on contract law and more than 50 law journal articles in the fields of behavioral law and economics, negotiation and alternative dispute resolution, contract law, and health care law. Prior to joining the UCLA faculty in 2001, Korobkin held appointments at the University of Illinois College of Law and the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs. He has taught as a full-time visiting professor at Harvard Law School and the University of Texas School of Law. He regularly teaches negotiation courses to undergraduates, law students, and business students around the world, conducts negotiation training programs for professionals, and mediates disputes.