TEDxUniversityofMississippi: Sharks, Sports, Bathroom Fears and More

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

TEDxUniversityofMississippi returns to Oxford on next week offering talks on a wide variety of subjects from sharks to sports psychology.

TEDxUniversityofMississippi returns to Oxford on next week offering talks on a wide variety of subjects from sharks to sports psychology.

Eight professionals will speak for 12 minutes each starting at 6 p.m. March 6 at the Gertrude Ford Center.

The theme for this year’s event is “New Horizons.”

“We chose this theme after deciding on the speakers for the event because this theme emphasizes the wide variety of topics at the event and portrays the advent of new ideas,” said co-chair Hannah Newbold.

TEDx is an independently organized community forum designed after the national TEDTalk conferences.

Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased from the UM Box Office or at the door.

A team of 10-20 students makes up the TEDx committee each year that selects speakers and comes up with a theme. This is the fourth installment of TEDx.

“Each person brings their ideas to the table,” said co-chair Meredith Sobus. “We discuss them and then vote as a group.”

Overall, the university has produced 26 TEDx talks over the last three years that have been viewed more than 1.2 million times.

Newbold said getting involved with TEDx was one of the best decisions she’s made during her college career at UM.

“TEDxUniversityofMississippi is an important event because it brings ideas worth sharing to the public eye,” she said. “Without this event, I would have never had the chance to learn about the topics that will be presented. All of this year’s topics are inventive and will communicate fresh ideas to the audience.”

Sobus said the event is equally important to the university.

“It’s giving a platform for people to share their research and ideas in a very respectful environment,” she said.

Singer/songwriter Sam Mooney will provide entertainment between talks and during intermission.

This year’s speakers will be:

Christian Anschuetz, Chief Digital Officer for UL (formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories) where he is responsible for identifying, prioritizing and embedding technology innovation and digital trends into the vision, strategy, and operating models required to sustain and accelerate the company’s growth He will be speaking on “Trusting in the Age of District.”

Luc Rébillout was studying aerospace engineering in France in 2014 when he got a chance to spend a few months at Ole Miss for an internship. He returned in 2016 to pursue his doctorate degree in hydro-science, where he says he “plays with sand and water.”

Josie Nicholson, a Licensed Psychologist specializing in sport performance and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. A native of Oxford, Nicholson joined Ole Miss Athletics’s Health and Sport Performance Staff in 2012.

Steven Soifer, Ph.D. Who is trying to raise public awareness about the fear of using public toilets and how restroom design, or lack of, can contribute to the 500 million people estimated to have trouble using public restrooms.

Jenny A. Urban, aviation attorney, will explain why private-public partnerships, information sharing and international collaboration are the keys to revising the aviation regulatory sphere to incorporate technological advancements.

Glenn Parsons, a Professor in the Biology Department and Director of the University of Mississippi Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, has been recognized for his marine and freshwater conservation research and testified as a shark expert before the U.S. Congress in 2018.

Zaire Love will speak on the global recognition of two Southern black women, Beyonce Knowles Carter and Fannie Lou Hammer, which has helped diversify the South’s narrative by illustrating how their unapologetic ownership of their identity as southern black women has solidified their place in history as global icons for freedom of expression, social justice, and activism.

Jakob Anseman, a student with Asperger’s Syndrome, will share information and experiences derived from various readings and his personal life regarding the mistreatment of people similar to him and will share his thoughts and ideas dedicated to strengthening and advancing the Autism Acceptance movement.