TEDxYorkU: Spreading great ideas with passion

Impactmatters TEDx YorkU logo

Impactmatters TEDx YorkU logoYork University will be making its sophomore contribution to a worldwide movement of talks and idea-sharing by hosting TEDxYorkU on March 10 at the Glendon campus.

TED, which stands for technology, entertainment and design, is a series of not-for-profit conferences that started in 1984 in Silicon Valley as a way for employees of tech companies to share their ideas and innovations with their contemporaries.

Featuring two official annual conferences, dozens of global TED events and more than 1,000 independently organized TEDx events, TED is a worldwide movement that brings together the “world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers”. Each TED presenter is challenged to give the “talk of their lives”. Previous TED alumni include former US vice-president and current environmental activist Al Gore, futurist and author Malcolm Gladwell and British celebrity chef and food activist Jamie Oliver.

The mission of TED is simple: spread great ideas. In its second year, TEDxYorkU is featuring talks by members of the York community centred on the various ways in which their passions have impacted the world around them.

Driven by a committee comprised of current students, alumni and staff members, this year’s event will be hosted at Theatre Glendon. Key presenters at TEDxYorkU are York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri, Vice-President Academic & Provost Patrick Monahan, Toronto city councillor Mike Layton (MES ’06) and York communiations & culture Professor Barbara Crow.

TEDxYorkU is supported by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the Division of Students, York Alumni, Student Community & Leadership Development and Glendon College.

Audience applications for the live event are open to the community until 11:59am on Wednesday, Feb. 29. Satellite locations for remote viewing will be available on the Keele and Glendon campuses on March 10. A live webcast will also be available for people who want to watch from off campus locations.

For more information, visit the TEDxYorkU website, see its Twitter feed or search posts on Twitter using #impactmatters.