UB’s TEDx event tackles topic of rebirth

Drawing on a theme that’s a natural for UB and the Buffalo area, speakers at this year’s TEDxUniversityAtBuffalo event will discuss how the area and the world have evolved — and continue to do so — culturally, technologically and intellectually.  

The student-organized TEDxUniversityAtBuffalo: Reborn will begin at 3 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Student Union Theater, North Campus. The free event is open to all members of the university community.  

The UB event is affiliated with TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to spreading ideas, usually as powerful talks that last for no more than 18 minutes. The talks cover a wide range of topics and speakers aim to share a deeper understanding of the world with their audiences. TEDx events are local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.

Devashish Agarwal, a junior computer science major, organized the UB event with help from the Intercultural and Diversity Center, the Honors College and the Office of Alumni Engagement.  

Scheduled to speak are Brittni Smallwood, reporter and anchor for WIVB-TV; Jim Bowman, LGBTQ wellness and special projects coordinator for UB Wellness Services; Samina Raja, associate professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, UB School of Architecture and Planning; Sam Magavern, co-director of the Partnership for the Public Good; Drew Kahn, founding director of the Anne Frank Project; and Colleen E. Heidinger, director of events and programming, 43North. The Enchords, UB’s co-ed a cappella group, will perform.

“All the speakers are very distinguished in their field and have been working hard to make a difference in the lives of others,” Agarwal says.     

He explains that the speakers will rely on their personal knowledge and experience in presenting their talks, which will be based on the event theme — reborn — and address the ideas of rejuvenation and revitalization regarding infrastructure, morality, engineering, sociality or other aspects of our lives.

“We have gathered some great people from UB and the Buffalo area who would give our students a great time by telling their ‘reborn’ stories,” says Deepesh Jhamtani, a senior business management major and resource coordinator for the event. “Hopefully, it helps trigger the minds of a few participants, or at least leads them to the right path toward success.”

Agarwal hopes the event will help attendees explore the ideas of progress and rediscovery in all aspects of their lives.  

“The whole aim for this TEDx talk is to get people involved in spreading ideas, get people talking, make them excited and also give them an opportunity to meet new people and professionals,” Agarwal says.  

More information about the event and its speakers can be found on the event website.