TEDx Halifax comes to Dal

TEDTalks has quickly become one of the most popular lecture series in the world, with leading thinkers sharing “ideas worth spreading” in short, compelling presentations captured for posterity on video.

Halifax has its own TED incarnation: TEDx Halifax, started three years ago by Dalhousie student Greig Oldford.

“The TEDx program was launched in the spirit of making TED more accessible,” explains Mr. Oldford, who’s working on his masters degree in Environmental Studies. “We’re totally independent – they provide the name and the guidelines, but we’re locally funded and operated.”

This year, the Dalhousie Student Union has stepped up to be the leading sponsor and host of TEDx Halifax. Though the event this Sunday, March 11 is sold out, many student volunteers will be in attendance and the event will be livestreamed for everyone to watch at tedxhalifax.ca. Presentations will take place from 1-8 p.m., with a reception to follow at the Grawood.

“We wanted to celebrate the incredible work that goes on at Dal and across Halifax,” explains Jamie Arron, DSU vice-president student life. “The theme is ‘connections can,’ bringing together disciplines and providing a forum for interdisciplinary discussions.”

The event lineup is filled with Dalhousie faces. Faculty members who will be presenting include Hal Whitehead (Biology), Patrick Lee (Microbiology), Rick Nason (Management) and Ivar Mendez (Neurosurgery). Dal students who will be speaking include Tim Disher, co-founder of Dal Unplug, and spoken word poet Sagar Jha.

In addition to the 10 speakers, there will also be four musical performances. The lineup includes Dalhousie students George Woodhouse and Ian MacNeil (“See You In September”), as well Uytae Lee (“Studying for Sustainability,”). Other performers include Old Man Ludecke and Julia Feltham.

“We’ve tried to keep our speakers eclectic, because we want to really break down silos at the university and bring thinkers from across Canada and Halifax together in one place,” explains Mr. Oldford.

For more information, visit tedxhalifax.ca