A chef and a chancellor, a politician and a physicist, engineers and dancers are among the scheduled presenters — sharing “ideas worth spreading” — at the fourth annual TEDxUCDavis conference, set for this Sunday (May 4).
The conference will be held for the first time at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, the campus’s premiere event venue. Advance ticket purchase is recommended (see details below).
“Pause or Press Play?” is this year’s theme, exploring the moments in life that require a call to action, and those moments where pause is due. TEDxUCDavis is an offshoot of TED, the 26-year-old, nonprofit initiative that brings together the world's leading thinkers and doers to spread their ideas.
TEDx events are locally organized — by students at UC Davis.
In previous years, TEDx speakers here have included Madhavi Sunder, talking about intellectual property, fair sharing and culture; Amy Williams, on the frontiers of space;Cliff Saron, on the frontiers of the mind and meditation; and Diane Ullman, on fusing art and science. Click on their names to watch their TEDx presentations.
Cory Warshaw and Hadeyeh Hidari are the TEDxUCDavis curators this year.
The scheduled speakers include Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi; Assemblyman Richard Pan of Sacramento, a physician and chair of the Assembly Health Committee); Ali Bouzari, chef and graduate student; Marusa Bradac, physics professor; Katy Benson, beer chemistry researcher; and Rajeevan Amirtharajah, associate professor, electrical engineering. See the speakers list here.
The program also includes performances by Danzantes del Alma, a student dance troupe (folklorico); and Jadoo, five students who combine Western and Middle Eastern musical styles to create a unique experience.
The conference is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Mondavi Center’s Jackson Hall. Registration opens at noon; doors open at 12:30 p.m.
Tickets: online (recommended) or at the door. Students $20, faculty-staff, $27, regular $30.
More information
TEDxUCDavis website