The TED Talks Club at Northern Michigan University will host a TEDx event featuring eight regional speakers who will share their ideas and research on a variety of topics. It is scheduled from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24. While NMU’s licensing agreement limited the number of tickets available for the event in the Jamrich Hall auditorium, campus and community members are welcome to view a livestream on their own, or obtain tickets for an overflow viewing in 1322 Jamrich Hall, which includes access to a reception with presenters in the University Center.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). Communities and organizations are able to coordinate similar experiences at the local level through the affiliated TEDx program. The NMU event can be watched via livestream at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/nmu/. Overflow viewing tickets, which include access to the post-event reception, can be reserved at http://bit.ly/NMU-TEDx-Overflow. The individual talks will also be available internationally through the TED.com video clearinghouse.

Presenters and topics for the NMU event are as follows:

-NMU alumna Kaylee Laakso will share her insights on fake news, and how we can make more informed choices when it comes to selecting news sources. 

-NMU graduate student Ryan Brandt will talk about neuroplasticity and expanding/exercising the brain. 

-NMU Professor Jes Thompson will discuss changing the conversation around climate change. 

-NMU alumna Emily Stulz will show how to be more authentic on social media in the post-college stage of "adulting."

-NMU alumna Liz Peppin will explain how better understanding the mechanisms of pain can lead to more effective treatment of chronic pain.

-NMU student Abigail Zeman will make her case for removing "to be" from the English language, to be more honest and simple in our speaking. This version, also known as E-Prime, is similar to George Orwell’s “Newspeak” in his novel, “1984.” 

-Nancy Langston of Michigan Tech will discuss conserving Lake Superior and the importance of that specific body of water. 

-Kate Remlinger of Grand Valley State University will share what she’s learned over many years studying the Yooper dialect.

TEDx events are self-organized locally, but subject to certain rules and regulations in order to be affiliated with the global TED umbrella organization. The NMU license restricts the audience in Jamrich Hall to 100.

“The Student Finance Committee is the primary funding source for this event, contributing nearly $7,000,” said Allison Opheim, TED Talks Club member. “Because the SFC is supported through the $35 activity fee every student pays, the 100 available tickets were reserved for students on a first-come, first-served basis. But recognizing how much interest there is in this event, we coordinated the livestream and overflow viewing in Jamrich so that everyone has a chance to watch it.”