TED, a nonprofit organization that started in California 25 years ago, runs of the mission of “ideas worth spreading.” TED, which stands for Technology, Engineering, and Design, has annual conferences across the globe, in which speakers inspire and encourage people to think about topics in ways they never could have dreamed. For those of you new to TED, be sure to check out their “New to TED?” video playlist to get a sampling of 11 talks that feature every topic discussed on the site. (Hint: they expand beyond the big three in the acronym, and include things from education to poetry, to history, and psychology.)
TEDx Connecticut College, which just had its third annual conference on April 12, 2014, is a local and independently organized TED event put on by the club ConnSider. This year’s conference boasted 19 talks by 22 different speakers. The theme, “Not All Who Wander Are Lost,” covered topics from deep sea exploration to the intersection of religion and sports. Opening speaker, Cason Crane, questioned people to find their Everest–the meaningful challenge that must be pursued, while Professor Vyse (Department of Psychology) encouraged calling the mind to wander and play. The day was full of thought provoking and engaging talks that are all must sees for those who missed out on the conference itself (or for those who just want to watch again!)