Theme: 20 Questions

Questions lie at the heart of inquiry and innovation. They cause us to pause, to wonder, to discover. Join us for TEDxACU on February 27, 2016, a one-day conference highlighting speakers and performers addressing "20 Questions" intended to ignite curiosity and inspire action.

Fulks Theatre
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, Texas, 79601
United States

Revolution Strings

Revolution Strings is a troupe of thirteen violinists, two violists, two guitarists, one cellist and one bass player, between the ages of 14-18. Their performances highlight the talent and musicianship of the finest string players from the Abilene High and Cooper High School Orchestra programs in Abilene, Texas. In addition to local performances, Revolution has been featured on National Public Radio’s acclaimed show “From the Top,” played for state and national conventions, and worked with internationally acclaimed fiddle groups.

Ben Cobb

Biology Major, Abilene Christian University

Ben Cobb has been conducting biomedical research since he was 15. And his personal experience and work with people aiming to lose weight has made him wonder what truly is the healthiest way to eat.

Chelsea Johnson

Chelsea is a graduate student in English at Abilene Christian University who was competitively selected to perform this original poem at TEDxACU 2016.

Chris Field

CEO & Founder, Mercy Project

Chris Field is constantly asking the question, “why not us?” And it has led him to take on a diversity of projects, from founding the BCS marathon to breaking four Guinness World Records. Most recently, his Mercy Project is teaching rural fishermen in Ghana new and better ways to fish rather than using the labor of trafficked children.

Cortney Baker

Founder & Leadership Consultant, Baker Management Group

Dr. Cortney Baker is the owner and CEO of KidsCare Therapy, a pediatric home healthcare agency that serves over 2,000 Texas children. Both her professional experience and doctoral research have led her to ask questions about the challenges women face at work.

Ivars Peterson

Freelance Writer & Editor, The Mathematical Tourist

While working as the director of publications at the Mathematical Association of America, and before that as a writer for Science News magazine, Ivars Peterson has maintained his commitment to helping people appreciate the mathematics embedded in the world around them.

J. Michael Hall

President & Founder, Strong Fathers-Strong Families

As a “recovering” middle school teacher and principal, J. Michael Hall has seen the importance of valuing fathers first-hand. For his pioneering work over the past 15 years in the fatherhood field, he was honored as a 2012 White House Champion of Change.

Jennifer Shewmaker

Associate Professor, Abilene Christian University

Dr. Jennifer Shewmaker is a nationally certified school psychologist and a founding board member of the Brave Girls Alliance, an international partnership of parents, professionals, and small business owners advocating for healthy, empowering media for children.

Micah Bynum

Micah is a senior communication major at Abilene Christian University who was competitively selected to perform this original composition at TEDxACU 2016.

Omar El-Halwagi

Law Student, University of Michigan

Omar El-Halwagi is a Texan, a former Texas A&M Aggie, a Truman Scholar, a University of Michigan law student, a Harvard public policy student, and a Muslim-American. He hopes to use his JD and his voice to make a difference for marginalized communities.

Royce Money

Chancellor, Abilene Christian University

From 1991-2010, Dr. Royce Money served as Abilene Christian University’s 10th president. During those 19 years he led ACU through both changes and moments of crisis, but few of his actions received as much widespread attention as his November 1999 apology for ACU’s past discriminatory admissions policies.

Saul Delgado

Graduate Student, Abilene Christian University

As a graduate student in social work, Saul Delgado studies the social expectations of manhood and the negative impacts men often face when they don’t conform to socially constructed norms, such as “men don't cry,” or “men shouldn’t share their feelings,” or even “real men are rough and tough.”

Tony Barker

Owner & Speaker, Barker Media

Tony Barker is proud to say he was raised in a hard-nosed, yet hilarious military family where he wasn’t permitted to have problems -- only “challenges and opportunities.” And that philosophy has served him well in his career as a teacher, leadership trainer, and musician.

Wes Robbins

Wes is a senior sociology major at Abilene Christian University who was competitively selected to perform this original composition at TEDxACU 2016.