TedxSpringfield is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year and we’re celebrating by honoring an even bigger birthday! Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is 100 years old and we want to throw a celebration. We’re taking E=MC2 and its main components (Relativity, Mass, and Speed) and we’re reinterpreting, reimagining and reinventing. It’s all about providing a fresh interpretation and exciting viewpoint. Scientists, professors, and performers are just a few of the many speakers who will offer their exciting perspectives and ideas worth spreading.
Speakers
Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.
Abhinav Parate
Dr. Parate is one of the founding member of Lumme Incorporated. He has done seminal work in detecting health behaviors such as smoking and drug use, as well as analysis methods for understanding the triggers of individual behavior. He has extensive experience with designing smartphone-based solutions that has been widely used by research groups across the country. He has worked extensively with health experts including behavioral scientists, and mental health experts.Akshaya Shanmugam
Dr. Shanmugam is a recent Ph.D. graduate from UMass Amherst and is one of the founding member of Lumme Incorporated. During her time at UMass, she was the recipient of the Hluchyj fellowship, Eugene M. Isenberg Scholar award, Special Tang award, David Wolf prize, and the Glass family product demonstration award. Dr. Shanmugam is an expert in the design of portable health monitoring and disease screening systems. She also has extensive experience in data analytics, user interface design, and testing and validation of systems.Barbara Perry
Barb Perry is a woman of a certain age. She knows a thing or two. She knows enough to know there is always more to know. She wants everything and needs nothing. Her life is surrounded by love, from her two beautiful sons, a strong family, a handsome sexy man, and a circle of friends. They all raise her up, while keeping her grounded. Barb has worked since she was 14 years old, a very long time. What she has learned is that your work should be fulfilling, not defining. When a person looks back on her life, she does not want to be described as “nice”. She wants to be remembered as a woman of a certain age, who has been in this moment, at this time and knew to be grateful for all of it.Diane Pearlman
Diane is an independent film and media producer who currently serves as Exec. Director of the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating education, workforce and production opportunities in the film and media industry in western Massachusetts. She is also producing the Karen Allen directed film, A Tree A Rock A Cloud, based on the Carson McCullers’ short story. In the 1990’s, Diane was Exec. Producer of Mass. Illusion, a visual effects studio located in Lenox, MA that created groundbreaking effects for The Matrix (Acad. Award 2000, Best Visual Effects), What Dreams May Come (Acad. Award 1999, Best Visual Effects), Starship Troopers, Die Hard with A Vengeance, & others. Prior to that, Diane was Production Supvsr. for 3 specialty film attractions for Circus Circus’ hotel, LUXOR LAS VEGAS., directed by Visual Effects Pioneer, Doug Trumbull. Diane is a member of NY Women in Film and TV, New England Women in Film & the Visual Effects Society.James Lowenthal
James Lowenthal started scanning the night skies with a home-made telescope in his childhood home in New York City. Today, his research uses the largest telescopes in the world and in space to study the formation and evolution of distant galaxies. As an astronomy Professor at Smith College and Vice President of the American Astronomical Society, James is a scholar, opinion leader and frequent speaker on topics related to the sky above. And he still uses his home-made telescope in his backyard.John Mandyck
John Mandyck is the Chief Sustainability Officer for United Technologies Corporation. A global leader in the aerospace, food refrigeration and commercial building industries, United Technologies provides high-technology systems and services that move the world forward with well-known global brands such as Carrier, Otis, Pratt & Whitney and UTC Aerospace Systems. John chairs the World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board and is chairman of the Urban Green Council Board of Directors. He is a member of the Corporate Council at the Harvard University Center for Health and the Global Environment and is on the adjunct faculty for the UConn School of Business. John is the co-author of Food Foolish, which explores the hidden connection between food waste, hunger and climate change. John works with governments, universities and organizations around the globe to accelerate sustainability in an increasingly urbanizing world. He blogs on The Huffington Post & is on Twitter @JohnMandyck.Kailyn Giroux
Kailyn 'Kae' Giroux grew up in Springfield, MA and is currently a freshman at Salem State University. Kae worked as an intern for MassMutual's IT Academy over the Summer, which is where she earned the chance to speak in today's event. Her love for Entertainment can be seen in her YouTube Channel and Instagram Account where she teaches people how to do Special Effects Makeup in comedic tutorials. She has a passion for film and video games, is currently working on several projects involving the two, and she is working on her own comic book series.Lea Estien
Lea Estien is a junior at the Springfield Renaissance School. In 2014, she moved to the United States with her family seeking better opportunities. Once here, she realized that the lifestyle she was living became different - her life became taken over by things that would “look good on a college application”. She soon realized that life couldn’t be only about work, but about living the moments that were never coming back. With this realization, she slowed down and brought happiness back into her life.Michele Matyschsyk
I'm obsessive. My brain never stops until I sleep. Wondering. Problem solving. Only exercise quiets my mind. When we opened CrossFit Brickyard, I fell in love. I have found myself doing things that I never thought possible. Pull-ups. Handstand push-ups. Weightlifting. As young woman, I wasn’t fueling my body properly. I was an athlete but I didn’t understand the importance of nutrition. By eating poorly, I was undermining my training. I earned a PhD in molecular and cell biology from the UConn and did post-doctoral research at Yale University. I learned about how gut microbes govern our bodies and affect our immune systems and behavior. This turned my focus to nutrition. Nutrition is the foundation for success in everything we do. It’s also the simplest way to improve your health. There’s a misconception about the cost of a healthy lifestyle. Medical bills are far more expensive than a healthy lifestyle. There needs to be a change. A change in the way we think about food.Sheila Magalhaes
As the founder of Heartsong Yoga Center, Sheila Magalhaes has dedicated over twenty years to promoting health and wellness in her community. A graduate of Westfield State University, Sheila worked as a silk screen graphic artist, leaving after learning of the dangerous carcinogens in her workplace. Determined to live a more holistic lifestyle, she turned to yoga and meditation, which helped mitigate the stressful demands of new motherhood. In 1993, the self-proclaimed “redheaded, Irish-Catholic suburban yogi mom” opened one of the first yoga studios in the Pioneer Valley, inspired by the practices that helped her find inner peace. Central to her mission is sharing the deeper practices of yoga with others. First trained at the Kripalu Center, she pursued advanced studies with The Hard & The Soft Yoga Institute. Excited by the way science intersects with yoga, she presents these timeless teachings to students of all ages in trainings and workshops in school and corporate settings.Susan Guyer
Dr. M. Susan Guyer, DPE, ATC, CSCS is Chair and Professor in the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Studies and Clinical Education Coordinator of the Athletic Training Program at Springfield College, Springfield Massachusetts. Since arriving at Springfield College, Sue has taught courses in, Prevention of Injuries, Injury Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Exercise, and Clinical Human Anatomy. Sue has been invited to speak internationally on prevention of athletic injuries and concussions in China and at the European Society of Athletic Training and Therapy Conference. Sue has also presented at the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association and the NATA annual meetings as well as the NATA Educators’ Conference on issues relating to teaching and learning. In addition to being a Certified Athletic Trainer, Sue holds specialty certifications in Active Release Techniques for the lower extremity (ART®), Corrective Exercise (CES), Functional Movement Screening (FMS) and Graston Technique®.William Gavin
William Gavin, D.V.M. President, LFB-USA, Inc. Dr. Gavin has over 25 years of experience in the field of embryology, transgenics and nuclear transfer/cloning. He received a Bachelor of Science, with honors, from the University of Massachusetts and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, with honors, from Tufts University, School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gavin has numerous peer reviewed scientific publications, authored book chapters, has multiple international awarded patents, and has presented internationally at scientific conferences and symposia. Dr. Gavin has full responsibility for LFB-USA’s entire business and operations. Dr. Gavin was integrally involved from the beginning and throughout the development for the first ever in the world transgenically derived and EMA and FDA approved human recombinant therapeutic to reach the market place.Xavier Farrell
Xavier Farrell is the 5th of 8 children, was raised in church and his faith is the epicenter of his life. As a bright eyed little boy his drive for academic excellence and all around success was evident. His latest goal is class valedictorian, and his mother has been a positive motivator regarding that endeavor. He has a soft spot for young people and consistently encourages his fellow classmates to try and reach their full potential, as his passion is seeing other youth succeed. Xavier is driven by that “proud feeling I have for a friend when they succeed.” Along with his academic achievements he is also active in basketball, tennis, cross country, Mathletes, the National Honors Society (in which he is President), the Student council, and the high school band. He is entering his senior year and is choosing a college/university which will best suit him. Currently, he will enroll as an electrical engineering major.Organizing team
