Theme: Metamorphosis: The Paradox of Change

Change is, and always will be, a part of our existence. A "metamorphosis", however, suggests a process that is more complex, and one that is more human. There is a sense of dualism with this term, as there are both positive and negative changes (ie. a cocoon transforming into a beautiful butterfly vs. the abrupt end to sleep once midterm season starts). Our responses to change can also conflict with one another. While we may embrace taking steps forward, we may also resist them at the same time.

TEDx McMasterU is an MSU-approved club at McMaster University. Our committee is composed of undergraduate students who have volunteered their time to planning and executing the yearly TEDx McMasterU Conference held between January to March.

Our goal is to spread the spirit of TED and engage students in meaningful conversation and facilitate the spread of ideas through our annual conference and small activities held throughout the year.

This year, we ran our sixth annual conference on February 28, 2016 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

Art Gallery of Hamilton
123 King St. W
Hamilton, Ontario, L8P 4S8
Canada

Brittany Smale

Soulmates

The notion of soulmates has been perpetuated in our society long before we first started to consider finding one for ourselves. It’s an inescapable premise, colouring the fanfare of dating advertisements and TV shows everywhere around us. And yet, what if this idea that we have a soulmate is actually not only decreasing the likelihood of finding a healthy relationship, but destroying our relationships once we’re in them? Brittany Smale tells us why it’s about time to stop saying, “It just wasn’t meant to be,” once and for all.

Kelsea McCready

Overcoming an Eating Disorder

Kelsea McCready’s brave decision to leave anorexia behind may, to some, seem like the most obvious decision in the world. Why would one resist the road to recovery? Why would anyone choose to continue live with an eating disorder? In Gaining Life, Kelsea shares the internal struggles of her battle with anorexia and offers profound insight into the both intimidating and heartbreaking choice to escape what’s been in control for a long period of time. From the climax of her disorder to inpatient treatment to nearly three years recovered, Kelsea is a living, breathing metamorphosis.

Kristina Jagger

Mental Health

Over the past few years, the conversation and visibility around mental health issues and illnesses have been laudable. But Kristina Jagger urges us not to stop here, especially as those with atypical mental illness diagnoses are often facing attitudes that have hardly inched in terms of their acceptance. Kristina calls for a metamorphosis in the societal attitudes held towards those who are suffering from mental illnesses. We must shed our own fear and stigmatized beliefs in order to truly understand the individual needs of those who most need our acceptance.

Matthew Jordan

Adventurist

While on exchange in Europe last year, Matthew Jordan found himself travelling with an unexpected sidekick: 19th century inventor, polymath, and cranky genius Charles Babbage. After discovering that Babbage invented the first computer almost two centuries ago, Matthew scurried around the UK to retrace the history of Babbage's mind-blowing career, and wound up learning some important lessons along the way. In "Finding Babbage," Matthew brings us a fresh take on the origins of modern communication and why we should – or shouldn’t at all – worry about where this progress is taking us.

Matthew Woolhouse

Assistant Professor, Music Cognition and Music Theory

Dr. Matthew Woolhouse, Founder of the Digital Music Lab at McMaster, is no stranger to approaching research in music and dance from unexpected angles. His work includes exploring the prosocial effects of dance, what the music on our playlists reveals about our personalities, and even how music and dance can act as a form of palliative treatment for those with Parkinson’s disease. In fact, with the use of McMaster’s LIVELab and Kinect TM motion sensors, Woolhouse has been involved in the development of an application that allows people with Parkinson’s to interact with a therapeutic dance avatar, who simulates the movements of a ballet teacher as well as the user, from the comfort of their own home. This form of treatment emphasizes the ways in which technology can become a powerful research tool, and highlights the positive effects of music and dance on human cognition and neurophysiology.

Salim Yusuf

Director of the Population Health Research Institute of Canada

Dr. Salim Yusuf, director of the Population Health Research Institute and vice-president of research at Hamilton Health Sciences, is one of the most internationally renowned scientists in the world, and McMaster University is fortunate enough to call him one of our own. As a cardiology professor in the Department of Medicine, Yusuf has a wealth of wisdom to pass onto the future generation of scientists. His work in the area of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and epidemiology, with particular attention paid to social determinants of risk, is fundamentally changing the way the world approaches CVD. With over 800 articles published, a Gairdner Award, a spot in the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, and as the second most cited researcher in the world in 2011, it’s safe to say that the TEDxMcMasterU audience should come prepared for a talk they won’t soon forget.

Tim Potocic

Owner of Sonic Unyon Records, Founder of Supercrawl Hamilton

For the past seven years, Tim Potocic has been an integral force in reshaping the identity of Hamilton. With the rise of the beloved Supercrawl, the annual arts & culture festival founded and directed by Potocic himself, we have witnessed an unmistakably positive shift in how people perceive and talk about Hamilton. The festival has become a staple experience in the lives of McMaster students and the local community, and with the hundreds of thousands attendees each year taking part in a vibrant celebration of local artistic talent, we believe Potocic’s efforts have catalyzed incredibly important discussions on how culture economically impacts Hamilton and is revitalized through the arts & culture. As owner of Sonic Unyon Records and Distribution, Hamilton Citizen of the Year in 2013, and a magnetic passion for Hamilton’s arts, TEDxMcMasterU is overwhelmingly proud to welcome Tim Potocic onto our stage.