Theme: Uncharted

Explore the unknown, the undiscovered, and the unfamiliar.
In this age of unprecedented discovery, we seek to plumb the depths of human experience.
Join us as we map UNCHARTED territory across the realms of science, art, technology, culture, space, and time.

Laguna Blanca School
4125 Paloma Drive
Santa Barbara, California, 93013
United States

Alison Teal

Alison Teal, Time Magazine’s Female Indiana Jones, and O Magazine’s Oprah Of Adventure, travels the world seeking out the greatest myths, mysteries, and legends on earth. With a mission to educate through entertainment, she shares shocking discoveries about plastic pollution, along the way proving that “water is life”. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Beau Glazier

Eleventh-grader Beau Glazier feels at home when in nature. She loves to knit, write, sculpt, draw, and as of recent, sing. A believer in chocolate, hugs, and love, someday she would like to roam with cows. In her performance, Beau sings David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” with her band, Pierrot. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Charlie Plumb

An ex-fighter pilot in the Vietnam War, Captain Charlie Plumb spent nearly six years as a Prisoner of War in an 8-by-8 foot cell. During his 2,103 days of captivity, Captain Plumb distinguished himself among his fellow prisoners as a professional in underground communications and served for two of those years as the chaplain in his camp. In his talk, Captain Plumb shares his story of adversity and the lessons he learned from it. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Crystal Moreland

California State Director for The Humane Society of the U.S., Crystal Moreland advocates for all kinds of different animals--whether it be dogs, cats, or even giraffes! Through her work and the work of her organization, Moreland drives real, tangible change for species across the globe. Her engaging talk focuses on the almost silent threat facing giraffes and offers new perspectives on how to save them. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Don Brewster

Don Brewster, an advocate for social justice, works hard to rehabilitate sex-trafficked children and women. In 2005, Don and his wife Bridget sold their California home, quit their jobs and moved to Cambodia to set up Agape International Missions (AIM), a restoration home for child survivors of sex trafficking. Through his talk, he brings to life a remarkable story of a child survivor. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/ted

Emily Jacobs

Emily Jacobs, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, after serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Her research uses brain imaging tools to understand how sex steroid hormones shape the human brain, while her lab uses basic science discoveries to advance women’s health. In her talk, she explores the importance of inclusivity in the field of neuroscience. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Jen Bricked

Jen Bricker is an accomplished acrobat and aerialist who has traveled internationally with Britney Spears’ World Tour, headlined at both the Palazzo hotel in Las Vegas and the Shangri La hotel in Dubai and has been featured on multiple shows. Oh, and she doesn’t have legs. Her talk focuses on how she stays positive in the face of others’ doubts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Jen Bricker

Jen Bricker is an accomplished acrobat and aerialist who has traveled internationally with Britney Spears’ World Tour, headlined at both the Palazzo hotel in Las Vegas and the Shangri La hotel in Dubai and has been featured on multiple shows. Oh, and she doesn’t have legs. Her talk focuses on how she stays positive in the face of others’ doubts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

John Mankins

A former NASA physicist known for his work on space-based solar power, John Mankins explores the possibilities of living on the moon. Today he serves as the vice president of the Moon Village Association, an NGO with the goal of creating an International Space Station on the Moon for global moon exploration programs.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

John Suh

CEO and Entrepreneur John Suh critiques our modern day office spaces and explores new ideas of his own. A Harvard graduate, he started his own company democratizing law for small business owners and families. His company has grown to 1000+ employees and over 4 million customers. In his talk, John reveals the importance of “Habituation” and “Sensitization,” and explores how we can optimize our lives by bringing an entrepreneurial lens to the spaces around us, to maximize their full potential. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Kent Jenkins

Kent Jenkins, otherwise known as “Snubby J”, is an astounding entertainer. His performances feature “Rimba Tubes,” which he was inspired to create after his love for the arts. Here, he shares his story involving the struggles which led him to success. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Kim Wolhuter

As a professional wildlife filmmaker, Kim Wolhuter has befriended several wild animals. He runs, walks, hunts, and sleeps with hyenas and cheetahs so naturally that they completely accept his presence. In his talk, Kim explains that through these intimate alliances, he has been able to document their natural behavior, something that has never been done before. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Laura Montoya

Laura Montoya is the Founder and Managing Partner of Accel Impact, including Accel. AI, a global Non-Profit Institute lowering the barriers to entry in engineering artificial intelligence, and LXAI (www.latinxinai.org) an initiative to create an opportunity for Latinx in AI. She has been described as a natural and versatile leader with a passion for AI, Computer Science, Research, and Psychology. Her talk explores modeling AI algorithms for social impact through theory, applications, and correlations to real-world experience. She describes concepts in reinforcement learning and deep learning, with analogies to the evolution of the individual and societies. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Lewis Hornby

Lewis Hornby had a problem: his grandmother, who suffers from dementia, wasn’t drinking enough water, causing her to get severely dehydrated. In his talk, he shares his sweet, and potentially life-saving, solution. Lewis is a recent graduate of the Innovation Design Engineering program at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. His Jelly Drops design has received multiple awards for design engineering and social impact. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Linnea Engstrom

Environmental Engineering student and feminist Linnea Engstrom is pursuing a career in humanitarian engineering, a predominantly male field. In her talk, she shares her fascinating projects, explains the importance of having diversity in science, and inspires young girls to play a part in all aspects of STEM. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Lucas Chen

A foreign-exchange student from China, Lucas is a sophomore at Laguna Blanca School. He is interested in math and science, but his talk doesn’t focus on either of those things. Instead, he dives deeper into an experience that changed his life. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Martha Redbone

Multi-award-winning musician Martha Redbone is one of the most vital voices in American roots music. In her performance, the charismatic songstress sings a tasty gumbo of roots music embodying both the folk sounds of her childhood in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky and the eclectic grit of her teenage years in pre-gentrified Brooklyn. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Mike Libecki

National Geographic Explorer/National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Mike Libecki can define his life in two ways: An obsession with exploring and climbing the world’s most remote and untouched corners of the planet to find huge, world-class first ascents and exploration, and being a dedicated father to a daughter that wants to help save the world. He has completed more than 80 major expeditions all over the planet with a goal of 100 expeditions, he has done expeditions from Afghanistan to Antarctica, to Greenland to Guyana, to Siberia to Socotra Island Yemen and everywhere in between… “In a world where we can be and do anything, be kind and do good!” "The perspectives shared are those of TEDx speakers, and how they do so does not necessarily represent the perspectives of Laguna Blanca School or TEDx." This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Sasha Cohen

Sasha Cohen enjoys photography and performing with his band Glitter Fish, but in his talk, he focuses on something else--high-power laser spacecraft propulsion. Sasha is an undergraduate researcher with the Experimental Cosmology Group at UCSB. Sasha spends his time doing research on alternative spacecraft propulsion, namely using large arrays of high-power lasers to propel gram-scale spacecraft. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Stacey Lee

An award-winning author of young adult fiction, Stacey Lee is more than just a creator of worlds--in her talk, she stresses the need for diverse children’s books and highlights the importance of giving a voice to the voiceless. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

William Pan

Gold impacts us daily, whether it be in our electronics, industry, jewelry, or medicine. In his talk, Professor William Pan exposes the dangers behind obtaining it. Dr. Pan is an Associate Professor of Global Environmental Health at Duke University with over 15 years of experience studying the impact of human-environment dynamics on health. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx