TEDxLSU is back for a fifth year of powerful, inspiring talks featuring University alumni and faculty, to be held March 11.

TEDx is a branch of the TED talks, held yearly in Vancouver, B.C., which celebrate technology, entertainment and design. TEDx supports independent organizers in various communities across the globe who want to hold their own conferences.

One such conference has been held at the University since 2013. Organized by a team of professionals and student volunteers, this year’s event features a variety of topics from University alumni and faculty members.

This is the first year senior mass communication major Leigh Anne Nugent has volunteered with TEDxLSU, which she said is a challenging and exciting experience.

“Every day is something new and different,” Nugent said. “I love the challenges of trying to create something specific but eye catching.”

Nugent works for the Creative Communications Team on social media posts, billboards and the experience team. She said her expertise lies in creative graphics, which is where the challenge is.

“I want to share how amazing this event is and portray the fantastic vibe that attendees [will] experience,” Nugent said. “But it’s almost impossible because it’s so hard to capture a feeling in a graphic. That’s my favorite challenge.”

Another member of the team, chemistry and biology senior Martin Debord, an international student, said that graphic design has always been one of his inspirations. Debord works in the set design and video department and designs many of the visual graphics.

“I was so impressed that there’s a TEDx on the LSU campus,” Debord said, adding that he has loved the process of working on the March 11 event.

“When we brainstorm it’s really blurry ideas, but I love to see the result of our creations,” Debord said.

This year’s event features talks by University faculty members Professor Wayne Newhauser, Lauren Pharr and Professor Gabriela González. González made international news in 2015 when she and her team reported the first recorded gravitational wave, a ripple in the fabric of space and time resulting from the collision of two black holes, which confirmed a prediction made by Albert Einstein.

Biology and anthropology junior Simone Dreher gushed over González’s talk and said  “to get to meet someone like that is just amazing; she’s so passionate about what she does.”

Dreher is responsible for spearheading TEDx events throughout the year, including the big event slated for March 11.

“It’s my first year at TEDx and at LSU; I transferred here in August.” Dreher said.

She added that TEDxLSU has helped her get invaluable experience, all too important for a college student. She said she has made good business relationships, which are “key when you’re trying to get internships and jobs.”

Dreher, Nugent and Debord all said that the talk they’re most looking forward to is by forensic anthropologist Lauren Pharr, who is an expert in vulture scavenging and flight, which she’ll discuss in her talk.

When asked what University students can get out of attending TEDxLSU, Debord said that it can help people rediscover the Baton Rouge community.

“They can realize that some of our professors are a part of global organizations,” Debord said, adding that “they’re changing the world.”

Dreher said that college students need to hear these talks because they can inspire new hope and encourage them to achieve anything.

“We get so stressed about college that it feels like it might never end,” Dreher said. “You get burnt out, but when you see people who’ve moved past that point, you realize the world is changing and you can be a part of that innovation.”
TEDxLSU will be held Saturday, March 11 from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union’s Union Theatre.