Theme: Mysteries of the Mind

TEDxCambridge showcases exceptional speakers and artists that help contribute to our shared future, positively influencing lives, and helping transform our global community. Join us as we journey deep inside our most fascinating and mysterious organ: your brain. Our speaker talks and musical performance are inspired by how the mind shapes your perception of the world — and how the world can shape it back. Learn about the remarkable abilities of your conscious awareness — and what all of our minds have in common. This visually immersive exploration will open your mind to its own beauty and power.

New England Aquarium Simons Theatre
1 Central Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts, 02110
United States

Ann-Sophie Barwich

Olfactory Philosopher

Ann-Sophie Barwich is an assistant professor of history and philosophy of science and cognitive science at Indiana University Bloomington. She studies neuroscience and perception while researching a deceptively simple question: Have you ever wondered how you smell? She has been a Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience at The Center for Science & Society, Columbia University. Ann is also fascinated by the history of magic in understanding the effects that conjuring tricks play on our minds.

Emily Balcetis

Motivational Psychologist

Emily Balcetis is an associate professor of psychology at New York University. Her research explores motivational biases in visual and social perception and the consequential effects on behavior and navigation of the social world. She’s the author of over seventy scientific publications, and her work has been featured in Forbes, Newsweek, Time, Scientific American, and The Atlantic. Emily has lectured at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. She lives in New York City with her husband and their children.

James Danckert

Cognitive Neuroscientist

James Danckert is a professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo. He is an expert on the psychology of boredom and the neuroscience of attention. Boredom makes us feel restless and agitated, but what if we listened to boredom instead of banishing it? His groundbreaking research into adaptive approaches to boredom can help us avoid its troubling effects and lead us to live fuller lives. He lives in Waterloo, Canada, with his wife and two sons, and enjoys playing his electric guitar.

Jessica "Selkii" Yallup

Singer-songwriter

Selkii is a live-looping singer and songwriter from South Africa with a passion for bringing joy to people through music. She has been a contestant on NBC’s The Voice, and her looping pedal skills bring guitar percussion with rich sonic layers of vocals and riffs into her live arrangements. Her love for nature, connection, travel, and life’s simple pleasures comes through her thoughtful lyrics. Selkii loves sharing the stories behind her songs and hopes to heal and enrich people’s souls with a beautiful message.

Martin Picard

Mitochondrial Psychobiologist

Martin Picard is an associate professor of behavioral medicine in psychiatry and neurology at Columbia University. His groundbreaking lab investigates mechanisms of brain-body communication, focusing on how mitochondria influence cognition, stress resilience, and aging. He is building an integrative model of human health that can help transform how we teach and practice medicine. Beyond his passion for mitochondria, Martin enjoys electric cars, renewable energy, and spending time in nature with his family.